http://www.laborrights.org/projects/corporate/coke/
Coca-Cola and Anti-Union Death Squads in Colombia
Violations of human rights are rampant in Colombia due to lawless activities of both the right wing paramilitaries and leftist guerillas. The paramilitaries in Colombia are particularly well known for murdering, abducting and torturing trade union leaders. Specifically, much of the violence against trade unionists in Colombia is directed at leaders of unions at multinational firms, including the Coca-Cola company.
One union representing workers at Coca-Cola, Sinaltrainal, has sustained heavy losses of leaders and members who were employed by the company.
Having no other options and facing ongoing violence, Sinaltrainal requested ILRF and the United Steelworkers Union to file an ATCA case against Coca-Cola and its Colombian bottlers. The case was filed in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida, No. 01-03208-CIV, on July 21, 2001. Plaintiffs are Sinaltrainal, and five individuals who have been murdered, tortured, and/or unlawfully detained.
They are seeking to hold Coca-Cola, and two of its Colombian bottlers liable for using paramilitaries to engage in anti-union violence. This case also presents the issue of corporate liability for acts of subsidiaries or agents.
Coca-Cola's defense is not that the murder and terrorism of trade unionists did not occur; rather, Coca Cola argues that it cannot be held liable in a US federal court for occurrences in Colombia. Coca-Cola also argues that it does not "own", and therefore does not control, the bottling plants in Colombia
