"Uncertainty and low morale" is plaguing workers at Coca-Cola according to the union representing more than 18,000 employees with the company.
Jesse Russell reports…

That uncertainty is leading to escalating labor unrest and, according to the Teamsters, could eventually result in work stoppage. During a conference call with industry analysts the union said management needs to address basic concerns over job security and health care. David Loughton, secretary treasurer of the Teamsters said, “Coca-Cola’s approach to labor relations has deteriorated, leaving workers with uncertainty and low morale.” Coca-Cola announced a restructuring plan earlier this year which will see the slashing of 3500 jobs.

By Jesse Russell

The largest retirement fund in the U.S. has sold off 1.2 million shares in Coke stocks. KLD Research and Analytics has removed the company off of its list of socially responsible companies. Issues include marketing high calorie drinks to children as well as reports of environmental irresponsibility in India and labor and human rights issues in Colombia. The stock in the fund was worth $52.4 million and belonged to more than 430,000 pension clients. Critics have claimed that the company is responsible for the murder of a union activist in Colombia as well as other violence against unions in that country. KLD is also upset with the amount of time it has taken the soft drink company to remove products from schools.

By Jesse Russell

The University of Michigan is the most recent university system to stop the sales of Coca-COla products on campus. The ban comes amidst allegations that the company has contributed to human rights and environmental violations. The organization Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality alleges that Coca-Cola has allowed managers at Colombia plants to conspire with paramilitary groups to keep workers from unionizing and has also drained important groundwater from an Indian town. The company was unable to meet a Dec. 31 deadline requiring an investigation into the situation in Colombia.

The potential of losing $1.3 million in contracts with the University of Michigan has led to Coca-Cola performing an independent audit on the company's international labor and business practices. In india, the Atlanta-based company is facing accusations that plants in India have drained the water table, causing farmland to dry up and selling products containing pesticides in India. In Colombia the company faces allegations plant managers have conspired with paramilitary forces to kill, harass and harm union members. The company says it expects the investigations will prove all allegations to b

Thousands of people marched across India this week to protest Coke's water extraction program that they say is threatening their livelihoods.

[Hirsch1] "It began in Balia, which is where there's one Coke plant, marching to another Coke plant in Mehdiganj 150 miles away in northeastern India.

Bryan Hirsch, field organizer with Corporate Accountability International, says Coke is turning water from a basic human right into an unaffordable luxury.

[Hirsch1] "India has a lot less ground water regulations, so they've gotten away with going into one community where they've dried up hundreds of hand pumped wells and now there's not enough water to meet basic needs. In another community, Mehdiganj, the water tables have dropped over forty feet and it's been devastating to farmers - there's not enough water to irrigate crops."

Teamsters returned to work on Sunday after a two-week strike against Coca-Cola. Four locals representing more than 1600 drivers, warehouse workers and packers struck at seven of the company's Los Angeles plants over wages and healthcare costs. Three of the locals accepted contracts, but the fourth rejected the deal. Respecting the decision, the other locals would not cross picket lines. On Sunday the workers voted again and the contract was accepted. Workers at a Coca-Cola plant in Connecticut ended their strike at the beginning of last week.

The Teamsters are on strike against Coca-Cola and it's another case of health care costs driving the conflict. Teamsters spokesman Galen Munroe:

[Galen Munroe 1] : "We're out here in L.A. right now and we have about 1750 workers out on picket lines to protest Coke and Coke not offering an affordable health care plan."

Allegations that the Coca-Cola corporation is contributing to human rights violations in Colombia were brought to a new audience earlier this month when political poet Martin Espada refused to accept the companies money during a speaking engagement at Kansas University. Espada requested that the $1200 put forth by Coca-Cola through the Kansas University Endowment Association instead be donated to the National Food Workers Union in Colombia that represents workers at Coke plants in that country. The company is accused of allowing paramilitary groups to intimidate workers and in some cases murder trade union leaders. Espada says it is the companies attitude towards the situation that upsets him the most: