I'm hardly the best one here at FotM to blog about the student movement, but lately Modern Pitung has been ricocheting between schadenfreude and naked rage on the Suharto Death Watch. Soon I'm sure he'll have some things to say about the startling off-the-media-radar growth of the new SDS.
Me, I'm not going there. But today my email in-box featured the latest issue of the Stop Killer Coke Newsletter, and I decided to give this excellent campus-based corporate campaign against Coca-Cola some play. You can check out their website at killercoke.org but I strongly suggest signing up for their infrequent and informative newsletter.
So far, they've driven Coca Cola products out of over 45 campuses, protesting a range of corporate outrages, but focusing on the death-squad murders of trade unionists at Coke-affiliated bottling companies in Colombia. As usual, the newsletter reports on lively protests, more than 20 this time, and a few new campus victories. I want to highlight one in the City University system here in NYC, because of the moving letter they sent to give Coke the bad news:As an Institute of the City University dedicated to the education of union members and New York City workers, we want you to know that we are removing all Coca Cola products from vending machines in our facility. We cannot support a company in blatant violation of the basic right of all workers to organize for just, humane, and decent working conditions. In solidarity with workers in Colombia, we refuse to buy any of your products, and ask that you stop your violent reprisals against those seeking their rights as workers and as human beings.
As an individual, I must add my voice to those who object to your treatment of Colombian workers because my father worked for Coca Cola Bottling Company in Asbury Park, New Jersey for more than 40 years, and served as a Teamster shop steward for some of that time. I owe it to his memory to speak out against actions he would deplore by a company to which he gave so much of his life.
Deborah D'Amico, Senior Program Developer, PhD
Joseph Murphy Institute
The spotlight generated by this campaign, which has also involved many US and European unions has undoubtedly saved the lives of trade unionists, not just at Coke bottlers, but throughout Colombia, the deadliest country in the world for trade union activists. So again I urge you to support the campaign (I've been adorning vending machines with their little Killer Coke stickers for years) and subscribe to the newsletter, which will drop a shot of struggle and success in your inbox when you least expect it.
[Formal disclaimer: As far as I know Quiero Club has no formal connection with the campaign against Killer Coke, but this nifty little video can't hurt. Plus which, I think it rocks. Sue me.]
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