On the hottest day of the year (so far), we wandered up to the Coca-Cola factory in East Hartford (Conn.), where union workers have been on strike for more than five weeks.
One of the main issues is health care. Plant officials say…well, here. You can read a recent media statement below:
Sorry it’s crumbled. It was hanging on a tent and a hot wind was blowing. Union members say the media statement does not necessarily reflect the truth.
While the picketers were sweating in the sun, a line of limousine vans was snaking by. Some were carrying one or two a passengers in air-conditioned comfort behind darkened windows, and some were carrying no one at all. The limousines are for people who are willing to cross a picket line and they are doing so, say the striking workers, with bellyfuls of catered meals paid for by the company. Some are being brought in from elsewhere, and put up in an area hotel or hotels. How much do you think that’s costing Coke, versus what they would spend to keep funding for their workers’ health care as it is now?
Strike funds are tiny, and a striking union workers gets just a fraction of his/her salary. Things are tough all over, but do you wonder what scabs make?
In this area, you’ll find Teamsters Local 1035 members picketing various business establishments besides the plant, including area McDonald’s restaurants. Honk. Say hey. And be sure to ask them why they’re striking. They’re happy to talk.
If you want to go whole-hog, here’s a list of Coca-Cola products besides that brown fizzy drink. Living without the soft drink is easy. It might be an interesting exercise to see if you could go a day without consuming a single Coke product.
They sell something called “Bimbo?”
…and damn, they make / sell FUZE — some of those drinks are tasty — but thank goodness, Naked Mango Nectar, my new favorite, is not on the list; but also very important in considering a boycott: stories like this: “On February 25, 2010, another human rights abuse lawsuit against Coca-Cola was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York and later moved to federal district court. “This case involves a campaign of violence – including rape, murder, and attempted murder – against trade unionists and their families at the behest of the management of Coca-Cola bottling and processing plants in Guatemala.” ” http://killercoke.org/
True. East Hartford workers’ health care is not the only issue facing the company. And thanks for the link.
Do you know if Coca-Cola was found guilty? I did a quick couple of searches and couldn’t find anything. If they murdered, raped or attempted to murder anywhere, I don’t want anything to do with them. If it’s true, then I’ll sell and make a donation to RAINN.
Stopped buying Coke products long ago, but that list is great. Thanks.
It’s common for management, when stonewalling negotiations, to claim union negotiators “walked out” or “left early” or “took frequent breaks.” Management expects you to just sit there and smile at their smugness and disrespect and their refusal to even recognize controversy and bargain in good faith.
Best of luck to the workers. They’re going to need it. These are not good days for organized labor.
Coke owns Dr Pepper? Summbitch. When did that happen? Damn.
Can someone explain this paragraph to me (from the WikiGods)? Dr Pepper became insolvent in the early 1980s, prompting an investment group to take the company private. Several years later, Coca-Cola attempted to acquire Dr Pepper, but was blocked from doing so by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Around the same time, Seven Up was acquired from Phillip Morris by the same investment company that bailed out Dr Pepper. Upon the failure of the Coca-Cola merger, Dr Pepper and Seven Up merged (creating Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., or DPSU), giving up international branding rights in the process. After the DPSU merger, Coca-Cola obtained most non-U.S. rights to the Dr Pepper name (with PepsiCo taking the Seven Up rights).[9]
According to the esteemed Wikipedia, Coke has on occasion done some Dr Pepper bottling, but the name here in the USA still belongs to the DP Snapple Group. I guess that means that Coke can sell something called DP in Europe and the rest of the world, but why would they want to?
Until rather recently, I’d get into fierce arguments that Dr Pepper was a Pepsico product. I am easily confused.
A new Coke product…perhaps…
Chinese GM Cows Make Human Breast Milk
You think they’ll stock that in the Dairy section?
Here’s few alternatives.
In Willimantic
http://www.hosmersoda.com/
In East Haven
http://www.foxonpark.com/cart.php?m=splash
In New Britain
http://www.averysoda.com/
I’ve been boycotting Coke for years because I disapprove of murder as a form of inter-firm competition or unionization-avoidance, and I caer about South America. Thanks for the appalling list of brands owned– you make me that much gladder that we largely eat food made at home out of plants and animals.
Are you sure Coca-cola has done something wrong? I’m technically part of the company. My parents bought 2-3 shares for me when I graduated from high school & I’ve had it ever since. I’ve always been partial to Coke.diet Coke, when I’m drinking soda. I wonder what the details are on this.
That’s de-caf I hope.
Except for a couple of times, I haven’t had Coke or other soda in the last few months.
I took a look at this and I can’t find a lot. However, rather than passing the rising cost of healthcare insurance on to employees, I think Coca-Cola should absorb it (as should the rest of Corporate America). If they don’t like it (and they don’t), then maybe they should start supporting real healthcare reform. e.g. non-profit healthcare payers, coordinated care, global prevention programs, and payment based on outcomes. Coca-Cola can afford the increases in healthcare insurance cost more easily than these employees can in the meantime.
The picketers have been outside some of the fast food joints (which serve Coke as their “cola”). I’ve given them a “thumbs up” and joined the boycott of all Coke products. Thanks for helping to identify them. I wish I’d done this years ago. I’ve been buying the Stop & Shop brand ($.77 for two liters), but who knows who manufactures and distributes that stuff. Hey, cola and other soda is bad for us anyway.
A company whose product is a health hazard is squabbling with its workers over health benefits. I’m having trouble finding perspective here.
Employees will need to pay more to fund Obama Care. Hopefully Coke can keep them on the picket line! Go scabs….true American Workers!
Ha, ha! I love satire.