Killer Coke Rally : Melbourne Indymedia

Dean Mighell, Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union and President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council spoke to the crowd on the necissity for international solidarity with workers in Coca-Cola bottling plants in Columbia.

A union delegation will be going to Columbia in October this year to talk to unionists and workers to understand directly the repressive and intimidatory conditions for workers and union officials.

After several further speakers, the rally wound up.

About 80 people listened to speakers at dusk in Federation Square.

The "Stop Killer Coke" campaign was successfully launched in Melbourne yesterday evening at Federation Square.

Around 150 people were present to hear the campaign being waged against trade unionists in Colombia be denounced.

Solidarity greetings were sent from Leigh Hubbard sec. Vic trades hall council. Dean Mighell from the ETU spoke of Australian trade unionists disgust about what is happening to their brothers and sisters in Colombia. Describing Coca Cola as a disgusting drink, he told the crowd that less and less people would be able to drink it as Coca Cola vending machines came up for servicing.

Yup the same kind of people who service the machines, trade unionists, are the ones Coke is complicate in the deaths and attacks in Colombia.

Cam Walker from the Friends of the Earth raised Coca Cola's tale of persecution against trade unionists across the globe. Their company is guilty of ecological crimes as they make use of precious drinking water in third world countries. They are totally refusing to become involved in the campaign to stop the spread and seek a cure for AIDS in South Africa.

These speakers were followed by speakers from the local Colombia Demands Justice campaign and the Socialist Alliance. These first speaker from the campaign outlined the precise nature of the deaths being carried out in
Colombia. She mentioned the court case being supported by the Steelworkers Union of America to get Coca Cola to take responsibility for their bottling and distribution partner companies in Colombia.

At present Coca Cola is taking the same attitude which was shown by the likes of Nike before the international campaign targeted them and won some small concessions.

The SA speaker tied in the global "Stop Killer Coke" campaign with the bigger fight being waged around the world by working and poor people against the ravages being inflicted on their lives and their environments
by the global consortiums who care not a fig for anything except increasing their shareholders profits.

She highlighted the WTO organisation's next meeting in September and that protests would be organised against it and its policies around the world again. The "Stop Killer Coke" campaign will have its own contingent on this rally.

The final speaker told of similar actions happening across Australia, many of them organised by local Friends of the Earth groups.

At the end of the rally the raffle, organised by the Wills branch of the Socialist Alliance, was drawn by the chair of the rally and yes he won. He was heard later to say "If it was anything but the anti Coke posters I would have put it back in the hat." Really!

A warm thanks from the campaign to all people who turned up tonight. The battle has started. At risk are the lives of Colombian trade unionists and their families. We owe it to them to keep the struggle going.

The next organising meeting of Colombia Demands Justice campaign will be held on Aug 8th 7:00 pm at the 3CR radio station.

Breaking news.
It's still early around the globe but already there are reports of a Coca Cola processing plant being stopped as people handcuffed themselves to its gates in North London, England.

more photos at
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=60520

doesn't coke own 20% of pepsi in australia?

Drink water.

You will benefit others by boycotting soft drinks.

You will also get healthier - and therefore fitter to fight the ugly effects of greed (aka "globalisation").

Help others AND help yourself at the same time.

Pillock
by Very sensible and articulate fellow Monday July 28, 2003 at 03:49 PM

What is this…a health and fitness page? For Chrissakes, Yahya, get a life! Ever heard of Bundy and Coke? Baccardi and Coke? I suppose we’ll feel better if we abstain totally from alcohol too? You don’t need physical fitness to fight greed, you pillock. Or stupidity. Or hypocrisy. You need mental and moral fortitude. And a perspective on life that tells you that 80 or 150 people in a city of 4,000,000 ain’t no ‘success’, whichever way you try and spin it. And by boycotting soft drinks you will impact on the livelihood of workers and their families. Pillock

Pillock
by Very sensible and articulate fellow Monday July 28, 2003 at 04:00 PM

What is this…a health and fitness page? For Chrissakes, Yahya, get a life! Ever heard of Bundy and Coke? Baccardi and Coke? I suppose we’ll feel better if we give up drinking alcohol too, I suppose? You don’t need physical fitness to fight greed, you pillock. Or stupidity. Or hypocrisy. You need mental and moral fortitude. And a perspective on life that tells you that 80 or 150 people in a city of 4,000,000 ain’t no ‘success’, whichever way you try and spin it. And by boycotting soft drinks you will impact on the livelihood of workers and their families. Pillock