Jairo Fuentes, a charismatic young Wayúu leader, fights to protect his…
The Coca-Cola Case
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For decades, Colombia has ranked first among countries in the number of social leaders assassinated. From 2002 to 2009, more than 470 leaders were killed by paramilitary militias paid by companies ready to do anything to crush the unions. Among these unscrupulous corporate brands were bottling plants of products from The Coca-Cola Company.
These unpunished crimes spur U.S. activists Dan Kovalik, Terry Collingsworth and Ray Rogers into an ambitious crusade against the soft drink giant, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the misdeeds brought to their attention. By following the relentless efforts of this unshakeable trio, The Coca-Cola Case takes us on a fascinating legal road-movie, against a backdrop of denunciation campaigns claiming: Stop Killer Coke!
After five years of struggle, will Coca-Cola yield in the end? And on the verge of a settlement, what will the victims choose—cash, or power and integrity?
Citation
Main credits
Gutierrez, German (film director)
García, Carmen (film director)
García, Carmen (film producer)
García, Carmen (screenwriter)
Bisaillon, Yves (film director)
Bergeron, Johanne (film director)
Other credits
Original idea and research, German Gutierrez; director of photography, German Gutierrez; editing, Elric Robichon, Carmen Garcia; music, Olivier Alary.
Distributor subjects
Human Rights; Labor Studies; Latin American Studies; South America; Economics + Social Class Issues; Activism; Central America; Criminal Justice; Sociology; North AmericaKeywords
00:00:19.352 --> 00:00:21.688
[Liquid being poured]
00:00:47.113 --> 00:00:50.083
[Cameras clicking]
- Muchas gracias.
00:00:51.618 --> 00:00:53.453
Since 2002,
00:00:53.453 --> 00:00:55.855
470 unionists
have been assassinated.
00:00:55.855 --> 00:00:58.358
[Woman translating into Spanish]
00:01:05.265 --> 00:01:08.768
This year alone, 5 unionists
have already been killed.
00:01:08.768 --> 00:01:11.438
[Woman translating into Spanish]
00:01:14.407 --> 00:01:16.743
That's almost
one unionist a week
00:01:16.743 --> 00:01:19.346
that's been killed in this
country, and this is happening
00:01:19.346 --> 00:01:21.681
at a time when
-we heard this morning
00:01:21.681 --> 00:01:24.684
from the 3
labor confederations-,
00:01:24.684 --> 00:01:27.587
that unions are disappearing
in Colombia.
00:01:27.587 --> 00:01:30.457
The Steelworkers
has been involved
00:01:30.457 --> 00:01:34.160
and continues to be
involved in human rights
00:01:34.160 --> 00:01:37.564
lawsuits against
the Drummond Company
00:01:37.564 --> 00:01:41.434
and Coca-Cola for
their alleged complicity
00:01:41.434 --> 00:01:44.471
with paramilitaries
in killing workers here.
00:01:44.471 --> 00:01:47.974
And for many years, the
Steelworkers has been lobbying
00:01:47.974 --> 00:01:51.311
both the US
and Colombian governments
00:01:51.311 --> 00:01:54.981
to actively and aggressively
00:01:54.981 --> 00:01:58.785
investigate allegations
that US multinationals
00:01:58.785 --> 00:02:02.389
have been aiding paramilitaries
and to prosecute
00:02:02.389 --> 00:02:04.057
those responsible.
00:02:04.057 --> 00:02:05.625
Thank you.
00:02:16.970 --> 00:02:19.973
You could either say I'm the,
you know, one of the attorneys
00:02:19.973 --> 00:02:23.576
for the plaintiffs in the case
or you could say that
00:02:23.576 --> 00:02:27.147
I'm Associate General Counsel
of the United Steelworkers.
00:02:27.147 --> 00:02:29.315
Or USW for short -
you could say USW.
00:02:31.284 --> 00:02:33.219
Yeah.
00:02:34.888 --> 00:02:38.058
These companies that
have been paying
00:02:38.058 --> 00:02:41.327
the AUC paramilitaries have been
conscious of what they're doing
00:02:41.327 --> 00:02:44.831
and they know what
these paramilitaries do:
00:02:44.831 --> 00:02:46.833
they assassinate.
00:02:46.833 --> 00:02:50.170
And so, you know,
this is pretty significant.
00:02:50.170 --> 00:02:52.172
I mean, it's now
gotten the attention
00:02:52.172 --> 00:02:54.507
of the Colombian government,
which, by the way, has been
00:02:54.507 --> 00:02:58.178
horribly remiss in bringing
these cases to justice.
00:02:58.178 --> 00:03:00.747
Out of the over 4000
trade unionists
00:03:00.747 --> 00:03:03.817
killed since 1986,
only 5 cases
00:03:03.817 --> 00:03:06.820
have been successfully
prosecuted in Colombia.
00:03:06.820 --> 00:03:08.822
Five!
00:03:11.157 --> 00:03:13.493
Yes, in Colombia since 1986.
00:03:13.493 --> 00:03:16.229
It's the trade-union
murder capital
00:03:16.229 --> 00:03:18.665
of the world, by far.
00:03:40.653 --> 00:03:43.523
[Gunfire]
00:04:54.861 --> 00:04:57.664
[Vehicle driving away]
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[Background chatter]
00:05:35.268 --> 00:05:37.604
[Gunshot]
00:05:40.607 --> 00:05:43.943
[Dogs barking in the distance]
00:05:57.257 --> 00:05:59.259
So initially, it was-
00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:02.929
You know, we brought a lawsuit
in July of 2001
00:06:02.929 --> 00:06:06.599
against Coke, and so
we initially used
00:06:06.599 --> 00:06:09.803
this Alien Tort Claims Act law,
00:06:09.803 --> 00:06:13.473
which is 200 years old
and is a very simple law.
00:06:13.473 --> 00:06:16.142
It's like one sentence long and
it says that the District Court
00:06:16.142 --> 00:06:19.312
shall have jurisdiction
over cases
00:06:19.312 --> 00:06:22.315
brought by aliens
00:06:22.315 --> 00:06:25.285
-that is non-US citizens-
in tort:
00:06:25.285 --> 00:06:27.954
that means,
for personal injuries
00:06:27.954 --> 00:06:31.791
committed in violation
of the law of nations.
00:06:31.791 --> 00:06:35.795
And when you look
at the law on its face,
00:06:35.795 --> 00:06:38.465
it sounds like
a human rights law,
00:06:38.465 --> 00:06:41.301
and that people outside the US
00:06:41.301 --> 00:06:43.636
could bring cases
00:06:43.636 --> 00:06:46.239
under this law
for human rights abuses.
00:06:46.239 --> 00:06:49.242
And then, in 1996,
a group of lawyers,
00:06:49.242 --> 00:06:51.444
including my co-counsel
Terry Collingsworth,
00:06:51.444 --> 00:06:53.947
brought the first case
against a company.
00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:03.323
- Our courts have now
consistently said that
00:07:03.323 --> 00:07:06.493
if a violation occurs in a place
00:07:06.493 --> 00:07:09.329
and cannot be redressed there,
00:07:09.329 --> 00:07:11.531
then our doors are open to them
00:07:11.531 --> 00:07:13.867
to seek justice
in the United States...
00:07:13.867 --> 00:07:16.069
[Car and bike horns sounding]
00:07:16.069 --> 00:07:19.873
Because think Burma or Colombia
-places where, right now
00:07:19.873 --> 00:07:23.076
at least, you can't get justice-
there's no other place to go.
00:07:23.076 --> 00:07:25.712
You can go to the UN and they'll
write a really nice report
00:07:25.712 --> 00:07:29.182
for you - it's not going
to change what's happening.
00:07:29.182 --> 00:07:31.484
The way that we're approaching
it here is, we're going after
00:07:31.484 --> 00:07:34.554
the bad actors.
[Car engine starting]
00:07:34.554 --> 00:07:38.224
We have about 14 major
00:07:38.224 --> 00:07:41.227
human rights cases
against corporations.
00:07:41.227 --> 00:07:43.897
I think that
the most important cases
00:07:43.897 --> 00:07:45.899
or the ones that I would flag
00:07:45.899 --> 00:07:48.335
as being the most
significant right now
00:07:48.335 --> 00:07:52.339
are, first, the Coca-Cola Case
because it raises an issue
00:07:52.339 --> 00:07:56.076
of how legally accountable
00:07:56.076 --> 00:07:59.179
is a major corporate brand
00:07:59.179 --> 00:08:01.848
like Coca-Cola
for the activities
00:08:01.848 --> 00:08:04.050
in its far-flung plants
00:08:04.050 --> 00:08:06.753
-bottling plants-
in places like Colombia.
00:09:40.780 --> 00:09:44.250
- So we originally filed
4 complaints against Coca-Cola,
00:09:44.250 --> 00:09:48.254
involving violations
00:09:48.254 --> 00:09:51.091
at a number of plants
in Colombia,
00:09:51.091 --> 00:09:53.927
the most notable being
the murder of Isidro Gil
00:09:53.927 --> 00:09:56.262
in Carepa in 1996...
00:09:58.264 --> 00:10:00.266
the unlawful imprisonment
00:10:00.266 --> 00:10:02.936
of 3 SINALTRAINAL leaders
00:10:02.936 --> 00:10:05.605
in Bucaramanga in 1996,
00:10:05.605 --> 00:10:08.274
the detention
00:10:08.274 --> 00:10:11.611
and torture of...
00:10:13.113 --> 00:10:16.216
Jorge Humberto Leal, another
SINALTRAINAL worker in Cucuta,
00:10:16.216 --> 00:10:19.519
and the threatening
00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:23.223
and attempted assassination
of Juan Carlos Galvis,
00:10:23.223 --> 00:10:27.060
another union leader
in Barrancabermeja.
00:10:32.899 --> 00:10:36.069
[Background chatter]
00:11:00.160 --> 00:11:02.329
[Typing at a manual typewriter]
00:11:05.665 --> 00:11:07.767
[Gunshot]
00:11:09.269 --> 00:11:11.604
[Another gunshot]
00:12:40.393 --> 00:12:43.129
[Motorist honking]
00:13:25.238 --> 00:13:28.241
[Background chatter]
00:13:29.743 --> 00:13:32.579
[Muffled singing]
00:13:38.885 --> 00:13:41.221
[Singing and background chatter]
00:14:28.902 --> 00:14:31.571
[Organ music]
00:14:54.394 --> 00:14:57.397
- [Protestors]: Stop Killer
Coke! Stop Killer Coke!
00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:03.436
Stop Killer Coke!
Stop Killer Coke!
00:15:03.436 --> 00:15:05.438
Stop Killer Coke!
00:15:05.438 --> 00:15:08.775
[Sirens sounding]
00:15:08.775 --> 00:15:12.445
- We just have to
stay up with them.
00:15:12.445 --> 00:15:15.382
[Protestors chanting
a slogan in Spanish]
00:15:25.959 --> 00:15:29.596
- [Protestors]: Stop Killer
Coke! Stop Killer Coke!
00:15:29.596 --> 00:15:32.966
Stop Killer Coke!
Stop Killer Coke!
00:15:32.966 --> 00:15:34.968
- Martin Luther King said,
00:15:34.968 --> 00:15:37.871
"Injustice anywhere is
a threat to justice everywhere!"
00:15:37.871 --> 00:15:41.207
Wherever Coca-Cola is,
there's also poverty
00:15:41.207 --> 00:15:44.878
and despair!
[Helicopter sounding]
00:15:44.878 --> 00:15:48.381
The world of Coca-Cola
is a world of lies,
00:15:48.381 --> 00:15:51.685
deception,
immorality, corruption,
00:15:51.685 --> 00:15:55.455
and widespread labor, human
rights and environmental abuses!
00:15:55.455 --> 00:15:57.524
[Crowd booing]
00:15:57.524 --> 00:16:01.361
[Protestors chanting
a slogan in Spanish]
00:16:04.197 --> 00:16:07.367
- Initially, it was
just a lawsuit.
00:16:07.367 --> 00:16:11.738
But quickly, there was interest
generated among students
00:16:11.738 --> 00:16:15.408
in colleges in the case,
largely 'cause it's Coca-Cola,
00:16:15.408 --> 00:16:18.578
which is a consumer product
that is very famous.
00:16:18.578 --> 00:16:22.349
It's a company
that's based, you know...
00:16:22.349 --> 00:16:25.885
Its goodwill is critical
to its ability to sell products,
00:16:25.885 --> 00:16:29.556
I mean, 'cause all it sells
is sugar water.
00:16:29.556 --> 00:16:32.392
Its kind of marketing and good
name is really all it has.
00:16:32.392 --> 00:16:35.061
And so it's, for years,
had these, you know,
00:16:35.061 --> 00:16:37.230
kind of strange commercials:
00:16:37.230 --> 00:16:39.699
"Coke Adds Life" and,
00:16:39.699 --> 00:16:41.701
you know,
"Have a Coke and a Smile."
00:16:41.701 --> 00:16:45.372
- ♪♪ I'd like to buy
The world a home ♪
00:16:45.372 --> 00:16:48.541
♪ And furnish it with love ♪
00:16:48.541 --> 00:16:52.212
♪ Grow apple trees
And honeybees ♪
00:16:52.212 --> 00:16:56.082
♪ And snow-white turtledoves ♪
00:16:56.082 --> 00:17:00.120
♪ I'd like to teach
The world to sing ♪
00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.056
♪ In perfect harmony ♪
00:17:03.056 --> 00:17:06.893
♪ I'd like to buy
The world a Coke ♪
00:17:06.893 --> 00:17:09.562
♪ And keep it company ♪♪
00:17:09.562 --> 00:17:13.066
- In a way, Coke sets
itself up really well
for a consumer campaign.
00:17:13.066 --> 00:17:15.735
[Background chatter]
00:17:15.735 --> 00:17:19.072
And it was at that time that
we began discussions with Ray
00:17:19.072 --> 00:17:22.242
and eventually
enlisted his help.
00:17:26.112 --> 00:17:29.783
- Dan and Terry,
who I didn't know,
00:17:29.783 --> 00:17:35.422
came to me and said, "Look, we
have a very serious problem with
00:17:35.422 --> 00:17:38.925
"The Coca-Cola Company
and it involves the kidnapping,
00:17:38.925 --> 00:17:41.761
"torture and murder of
union leaders in Colombia.
00:17:41.761 --> 00:17:43.930
"And we need some help.
00:17:43.930 --> 00:17:46.599
We don't have any resources,
but we really need your help."
00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:49.602
And when I listened to what
they were telling me, I said,
00:17:49.602 --> 00:17:52.272
"My God!
How could this be true?!"
00:17:52.272 --> 00:17:54.274
I mean, it's unbelievable!
00:17:54.274 --> 00:17:57.610
And yet here, I had 2 very
credible people talking to me,
00:17:57.610 --> 00:18:00.680
so I simply said,
"Look, we're going to have to
00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:04.417
"investigate this, and if what
you're telling me is correct,
00:18:04.417 --> 00:18:06.586
then we'll take it on."
00:18:06.586 --> 00:18:09.923
And we put together
what we called
00:18:09.923 --> 00:18:12.225
the Campaign
to Stop Killer Coke.
00:18:12.225 --> 00:18:14.561
We wanted a name that
would really stick to them.
00:18:14.561 --> 00:18:17.797
- Here's...
- Oh, okay.
- Spanish.
00:18:17.797 --> 00:18:20.734
- The discussion we previously
had on this point
00:18:20.734 --> 00:18:24.204
was about the use
of the word "genocide."
00:18:24.204 --> 00:18:27.073
And since we're not
using the word "genocide,"
00:18:27.073 --> 00:18:30.076
why can't we say-
why can't we say either,
00:18:30.076 --> 00:18:33.880
"exploits Darfur tragedy" or
"profits from Darfur Tragedy?"
00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:36.516
I think they are.
- I got it right here.
00:18:36.516 --> 00:18:40.520
- They clearly are.
- "Coke Evades Sanctions,
Ignores Darfur Tragedy."
00:18:40.520 --> 00:18:42.922
- "Ignores." Okay. Okay.
00:18:44.791 --> 00:18:47.794
"Considering how lucrative and
destructive Coca-Cola's behavior
00:18:47.794 --> 00:18:50.130
"has been in other parts of the
world, it's no surprise that
00:18:50.130 --> 00:18:52.966
"the beverage giant won't let
US trade sanctions or concerns
00:18:52.966 --> 00:18:56.970
about ethics get in the way of
their plans for the lucrative
market known as the Sudan."
00:18:56.970 --> 00:19:00.540
Second paragraph.
"You might ask -colon-,
00:19:00.540 --> 00:19:03.943
"is that the same Sudan whose
-excuse me- where one of
00:19:03.943 --> 00:19:05.945
"the world's most
brutal dictators
00:19:05.945 --> 00:19:08.114
"presides over mass murder
and genocide?
00:19:08.114 --> 00:19:10.417
Sure, but for Coke, it's
just another profit center."
00:19:13.620 --> 00:19:17.624
- ♪♪ Let's start it off
With a little explanation ♪
00:19:17.624 --> 00:19:21.261
♪ About the drink you think
Satisfies your dehydration ♪
00:19:21.261 --> 00:19:23.930
♪ In actual fact
Coca-Cola is packed ♪
00:19:23.930 --> 00:19:26.933
♪ With substances that
Only leave you more thirsty ♪
00:19:26.933 --> 00:19:29.769
♪ But have you heard these
Stories they're trying to hide ♪
00:19:29.769 --> 00:19:32.772
♪ That Coca-Cola executives
Are threatened by ♪
00:19:32.772 --> 00:19:35.875
♪ They've been messing
With Colombian workers ♪
00:19:35.875 --> 00:19:38.211
♪ Who asked for a better wage
And ended up murdered ♪
00:19:38.211 --> 00:19:40.213
♪ So Coke are looking shady ♪
00:19:40.213 --> 00:19:42.549
♪ Been investigated
Staff intimidated... ♪♪
00:19:42.549 --> 00:19:46.353
- I don't think I'm naïve to
think that we will win this.
00:19:46.353 --> 00:19:50.357
Actually -and I'll be totally
honest with you- a year ago,
00:19:50.357 --> 00:19:52.192
I didn't think we'd win.
00:19:52.192 --> 00:19:54.527
I thought we were going to lose
it - I'll be totally honest.
00:19:54.527 --> 00:19:57.063
But things have
changed in that year,
00:19:57.063 --> 00:19:59.699
and we know, from our
discussions with Coke,
00:19:59.699 --> 00:20:01.968
from our discussions
with Ed Potter,
00:20:01.968 --> 00:20:04.471
the head of Global Labor
Relations for Coke,
00:20:04.471 --> 00:20:06.473
that they're feeling the heat.
00:20:06.473 --> 00:20:08.475
I mean, they've
told us they are!
00:20:08.475 --> 00:20:11.144
They're very unhappy
about the fact
00:20:11.144 --> 00:20:13.680
that the word is
getting out about that.
00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:16.249
I think that we're going to win
it and I think we'll win it
00:20:16.249 --> 00:20:18.218
this year, in 2006.
00:20:18.218 --> 00:20:21.988
[Phone ringing]
- Dan!
- [Yeah.]
00:20:21.988 --> 00:20:24.991
- How are you doing, man?
- [Good. How are you?]
- Okay.
00:20:24.991 --> 00:20:27.327
- [Just checking in to see
how things are looking
00:20:27.327 --> 00:20:29.829
for the shareholders meeting
in Delaware.]
00:20:29.829 --> 00:20:32.866
- Well, right now, I think
they're looking pretty good.
00:20:32.866 --> 00:20:36.636
- [Will you wear some sort of
armor or body, you know,]
00:20:36.636 --> 00:20:39.639
[protection in case
they beat you this year?]
00:20:39.639 --> 00:20:43.643
- No, because I'm in better
shape than they are and that
wouldn't even concern me.
00:20:43.643 --> 00:20:46.646
In fact, I would love
for one to come up and try
00:20:46.646 --> 00:20:49.149
to nail me from behind again.
00:20:49.149 --> 00:20:52.118
And this time, I'll have
people watching my back.
00:20:52.118 --> 00:20:55.121
- [Very good. Maybe they should
also watch your front.]
00:20:55.121 --> 00:20:57.123
- Right.
[Laughing]
00:20:57.123 --> 00:20:58.892
[Truck driver honking]
00:21:03.797 --> 00:21:06.766
[Protestors cheering]
00:21:10.470 --> 00:21:13.206
[Protestors chanting a slogan]
00:21:15.709 --> 00:21:18.945
- [Protesters]: Stop Killer
Coke! Stop Killer Coke!
00:21:18.945 --> 00:21:21.881
- Extra large T-shirts!
Here you go!
00:21:21.881 --> 00:21:25.819
Extra large! Here you go!
00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:28.588
[Crowd cheering]
00:21:28.588 --> 00:21:32.258
We are in front of a very fancy
hotel -the Hotel du Pont-,
00:21:32.258 --> 00:21:35.261
where Coca-Cola is holding
its annual shareholders
meeting this year.
00:21:35.261 --> 00:21:38.665
We've been here the last
2 years at this meeting,
00:21:38.665 --> 00:21:41.501
and the year before that
we were in Houston, Texas.
00:21:41.501 --> 00:21:44.304
The annual shareholders meeting
is the only place where you know
00:21:44.304 --> 00:21:46.673
that you can go eyeball
to eyeball or face to face
00:21:46.673 --> 00:21:48.675
with the top policymakers
of the company.
00:21:48.675 --> 00:21:50.677
They're here today.
00:21:53.947 --> 00:21:56.616
You lied,
like you lied earlier today,
00:21:56.616 --> 00:21:58.918
about the situation in Colombia!
00:21:58.918 --> 00:22:02.255
You said that at no time was
any SINALTRAINAL union leader
00:22:02.255 --> 00:22:06.159
ever harmed by paramilitary
security forces
00:22:06.159 --> 00:22:08.328
at any of your plants.
00:22:08.328 --> 00:22:10.330
- You'll take the camera.
00:22:10.330 --> 00:22:14.167
- Yet Isidro Gil was
assassinated, murdered,
00:22:14.167 --> 00:22:17.170
in one of your
bottling plants in Colombia.
00:22:17.170 --> 00:22:21.174
The next day, those same
paramilitary security forces
00:22:21.174 --> 00:22:24.344
went into the plant,
rounded up the workers.
00:22:24.344 --> 00:22:27.180
Managers, Coca-Cola managers
in the plant
00:22:27.180 --> 00:22:29.182
had prepared resignation forms.
00:22:29.182 --> 00:22:31.484
Those workers were told
that if they did not resign
00:22:31.484 --> 00:22:35.055
by 4pm that day,
they too would be murdered,
00:22:35.055 --> 00:22:37.657
like their union officer,
Isidro Gil.
00:22:37.657 --> 00:22:41.061
They all resigned en masse
and the wages in that plant
00:22:41.061 --> 00:22:43.330
went from $380 a month
00:22:43.330 --> 00:22:45.665
down to $130 a month.
00:22:45.665 --> 00:22:48.768
After months of investigation
into Coca-Cola,
00:22:48.768 --> 00:22:52.272
all evidence shows
that the Coca-Cola system
00:22:52.272 --> 00:22:55.775
is rife with immorality,
00:22:55.775 --> 00:22:58.945
corruption and complicity
00:22:58.945 --> 00:23:01.815
in gross human rights
violations,
00:23:01.815 --> 00:23:04.784
including murder and torture.
00:23:04.784 --> 00:23:07.287
- As many of you
here today know,
00:23:07.287 --> 00:23:10.957
our company and our bottling
partners have been accused
00:23:10.957 --> 00:23:14.294
of complicity in the murder
of union members
00:23:14.294 --> 00:23:17.731
and of ongoing intimidation
of union members,
00:23:17.731 --> 00:23:20.900
and of the suppression
of union activity
00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:23.069
in Colombia.
00:23:23.069 --> 00:23:27.073
As the new leader
of this company,
00:23:27.073 --> 00:23:30.243
and, I might say, as a
former student activist,
00:23:30.243 --> 00:23:33.747
I came to the Colombia issue
00:23:33.747 --> 00:23:36.249
with an open mind,
00:23:36.249 --> 00:23:39.886
and also with my eyes wide open.
00:23:39.886 --> 00:23:42.722
I've reviewed the situation,
00:23:42.722 --> 00:23:45.558
and I, independently,
00:23:45.558 --> 00:23:49.562
have come to the same conclusion
as the Colombian Court,
00:23:49.562 --> 00:23:52.399
as the Colombian
Attorney General,
00:23:52.399 --> 00:23:55.235
and as the extensive
investigations
00:23:55.235 --> 00:23:57.971
conducted by counsel
over the years,
00:23:57.971 --> 00:24:01.808
that the allegations
are not true.
00:24:11.451 --> 00:24:13.953
[Soft cello waltz]
00:25:15.482 --> 00:25:18.451
[Protestors chanting
a slogan in Spanish]
00:25:23.623 --> 00:25:26.292
[Chanting to
marching band music]
00:25:39.572 --> 00:25:41.908
- Some of them were
directly killed, you know.
00:25:41.908 --> 00:25:45.211
The first ones were directly
killed in the trucks, you know.
00:25:45.211 --> 00:25:47.881
In the Coca-Cola trucks.
- In the trucks, they were shot?
00:25:47.881 --> 00:25:49.883
- Yeah, yeah.
00:25:49.883 --> 00:25:52.852
And some of them
were captured, tortured,
00:25:52.852 --> 00:25:55.355
and then their bodies
were dumped.
00:25:55.355 --> 00:25:57.691
- And some inside
the plant, even...
00:25:57.691 --> 00:26:01.661
- Well, yeah, yeah. There
were a couple of cases
that were inside the plant.
00:26:01.661 --> 00:26:04.497
- And so--
- Or close by to the plant.
00:26:04.497 --> 00:26:07.901
- So during this time, what is
Coca-Cola in Atlanta doing
00:26:07.901 --> 00:26:09.903
in response to these killings?
00:26:09.903 --> 00:26:12.238
- Basically nothing,
denying their responsibility,
00:26:12.238 --> 00:26:15.208
saying they were not responsible
for whatever happened.
00:26:15.208 --> 00:26:18.078
- Did Coke ever
compensate the families
00:26:18.078 --> 00:26:20.080
of the murdered unionists?
00:26:20.080 --> 00:26:22.549
- No. No, no.
There was no compensation.
00:26:22.549 --> 00:26:25.185
Guatemalan laws...
00:26:27.053 --> 00:26:30.190
don't allow for
that type of compensation,
00:26:30.190 --> 00:26:32.359
and we didn't have the skills
nor the knowledge
00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:35.862
that you can do that
through the American laws.
00:26:37.697 --> 00:26:40.066
[Liquid being poured]
00:26:40.066 --> 00:26:42.068
[Sizzling]
00:26:47.073 --> 00:26:49.709
[Muffled singing]
00:27:42.495 --> 00:27:45.065
[All chanting a slogan]
00:28:00.080 --> 00:28:03.083
- First of all, Guatemala
is a very important
00:28:03.083 --> 00:28:06.052
and interesting case
because, in the late 70s,
00:28:06.052 --> 00:28:08.955
at one bottling plant there,
one Coke bottling plant,
00:28:08.955 --> 00:28:12.792
8 union leaders were
murdered consecutively.
00:28:12.792 --> 00:28:16.796
So first, using
the death squads,
00:28:16.796 --> 00:28:19.466
they had the president
of that union
00:28:19.466 --> 00:28:21.635
at that plant murdered.
00:28:21.635 --> 00:28:24.971
After he died and
a new president came forward,
00:28:24.971 --> 00:28:26.973
they had that president killed.
00:28:26.973 --> 00:28:29.142
And then the next,
and the next, and the next,
00:28:29.142 --> 00:28:32.479
8 of them in a row -
an incredible situation.
00:28:32.479 --> 00:28:34.814
At first, Coke said exactly
00:28:34.814 --> 00:28:37.450
what they've been saying
regarding the Colombia case:
00:28:37.450 --> 00:28:40.787
"Well, that's not us.
That's a franchise in Guatemala.
00:28:40.787 --> 00:28:44.290
"They operate presuming
to a franchise agreement
with us, but that's not us.
00:28:44.290 --> 00:28:48.295
"It's sad that those guys
are getting killed, but
that's just how that goes.
00:28:48.295 --> 00:28:50.630
But that's not
our responsibility."
00:28:50.630 --> 00:28:53.133
But then, there was a huge
international campaign
00:28:53.133 --> 00:28:56.136
against Coke, much like what
we're trying to do today,
00:28:56.136 --> 00:29:00.073
and finally, because of that
campaign, Coke did intervene
00:29:00.073 --> 00:29:02.976
with that bottler, forced it
to sell to a new owner,
00:29:02.976 --> 00:29:05.145
and those murders stopped.
00:29:05.145 --> 00:29:08.148
So we know from that experience
that they have control.
00:29:08.148 --> 00:29:12.152
Now we're dealing with a similar
situation now in Colombia,
00:29:12.152 --> 00:29:16.122
with a rash of
antiunion violence
at Coke bottling plants.
00:29:16.122 --> 00:29:18.958
And we're trying to get Coke
to stop that.
00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:28.969
[Train horn sounding off]
00:29:30.637 --> 00:29:33.640
- [Radio host]: What would
you point to as signs
of the success of
00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:36.142
the campaign, what do
you count as success?
00:29:36.142 --> 00:29:39.145
- What I count as success is
knowing the kind of pressure
we're putting on the company,
00:29:39.145 --> 00:29:42.148
the fact that 3 quarters of
the universities have kicked
Coke off their campuses,
00:29:42.148 --> 00:29:44.351
the fact that many of
the largest labor unions
00:29:44.351 --> 00:29:47.287
in the United States and Europe
have removed Coke machines
00:29:47.287 --> 00:29:49.456
and banned the sale and
distribution of Coke products
00:29:49.456 --> 00:29:51.458
at all their facilities
and functions,
00:29:51.458 --> 00:29:54.127
and the fact that BusinessWeek
reported this August
00:29:54.127 --> 00:29:57.130
that The Coca-Cola Company
has lost 1%
00:29:57.130 --> 00:29:59.499
of the value of its brand name,
00:29:59.499 --> 00:30:03.570
which translates into
a loss of $680 million,
and I'll tell you why.
00:30:03.570 --> 00:30:05.905
Everywhere you go around
the world, people are knowing
00:30:05.905 --> 00:30:08.908
The Coca-Cola Company as "Killer
Coke," not only because of
00:30:08.908 --> 00:30:12.078
the human rights violations
in Colombia, but also because of
00:30:12.078 --> 00:30:14.914
the horrible things they're
doing in India and Mexico,
00:30:14.914 --> 00:30:18.218
and the fact that they're
helping to prop up the
political regime in the Sudan.
00:30:18.218 --> 00:30:21.221
- Thank you for coming
by. Good to talk to you.
- Thanks, Peter. Appreciate it.
00:30:21.221 --> 00:30:23.723
- Ray Rogers is founder
of killercoke.org.
00:30:23.723 --> 00:30:27.227
He will speak twice in town:
at Grant MacEwan tonight at 5,
00:30:27.227 --> 00:30:31.231
and at the University of Alberta
tomorrow from noon to 1:30,
at Dinwoodie Lounge.
00:30:31.231 --> 00:30:34.467
I should say we did offer
The Coca-Cola Company
a chance to respond
00:30:34.467 --> 00:30:36.469
to Mr. Rogers' allegations.
00:30:36.469 --> 00:30:38.638
They chose not to
return our calls.
00:30:38.638 --> 00:30:41.308
It is now 5 minutes
before 4 o'clock.
00:30:49.616 --> 00:30:52.786
[Applause]
00:30:52.786 --> 00:30:54.788
- Thank you so much.
00:30:54.788 --> 00:30:58.158
I really appreciate the
opportunity to be here at
the University of Alberta today.
00:30:58.158 --> 00:31:02.062
Now Coca-Cola was
claiming, just before
last year's annual meeting,
00:31:02.062 --> 00:31:04.064
"We have the prestigious-
00:31:04.064 --> 00:31:06.566
"The prestigious International
Labor Organization
00:31:06.566 --> 00:31:09.569
"of the United Nations
has decided to come in here
00:31:09.569 --> 00:31:13.073
"and do a complete
independent investigation,
00:31:13.073 --> 00:31:15.075
"completely in their control,
00:31:15.075 --> 00:31:17.577
"of the present
and past labor practices
00:31:17.577 --> 00:31:19.579
"of The Coca-Cola Company.
00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:22.248
"And if you have any
questions about this,
00:31:22.248 --> 00:31:25.552
contact Miss Sally Paxton
at the ILO."
00:31:25.552 --> 00:31:28.888
Now this was last March,
about a year ago.
00:31:28.888 --> 00:31:31.925
I called Sally Paxton
at the ILO, over in Geneva,
00:31:31.925 --> 00:31:34.594
and I said I wanted to
find out some information
00:31:34.594 --> 00:31:37.263
on the investigation
that the ILO is doing.
00:31:37.263 --> 00:31:39.566
"Mr. Rogers, we're not
doing an investigation,
00:31:39.566 --> 00:31:42.235
"and we are not doing any
assessment of any kind
00:31:42.235 --> 00:31:44.571
about past and present
labor practices."
00:31:44.571 --> 00:31:46.573
"Okay, Miss Paxton."
00:31:46.573 --> 00:31:49.909
Now Coca-Cola keeps promoting
that, in fact, the ILO is.
00:31:49.909 --> 00:31:53.713
So I go to the annual meeting
and I raise the issue
with the CEO.
00:31:53.713 --> 00:31:57.250
- Mr. Rogers...
[Applause]
00:31:57.250 --> 00:31:59.252
Mr. Rogers...
00:31:59.252 --> 00:32:01.321
I don't know who Miss Paxton is,
00:32:01.321 --> 00:32:04.491
but what she said
00:32:04.491 --> 00:32:06.493
is not correct.
00:32:06.493 --> 00:32:08.828
We have a document,
we have an agreement,
00:32:08.828 --> 00:32:12.499
and they're going to investigate
us and our prior practices.
00:32:12.499 --> 00:32:16.069
You're quoted as saying
that it's a publicity stunt.
00:32:16.069 --> 00:32:18.672
I can't think that
00:32:18.672 --> 00:32:22.676
engaging the ILO
is a publicity stunt -
00:32:22.676 --> 00:32:25.512
an organization which,
for 60 years,
00:32:25.512 --> 00:32:28.515
has been held in
the highest regard
00:32:28.515 --> 00:32:31.818
right throughout the world
by labor organizations,
00:32:31.818 --> 00:32:34.821
by civil society
and by governments.
00:32:34.821 --> 00:32:37.657
And we think we've gone
to the most credible people
00:32:37.657 --> 00:32:40.160
who can possibly
be found in this world
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:43.196
to look at what
has happened in Colombia.
00:32:49.536 --> 00:32:53.139
- If we are speaking about
fundamental labor rights,
00:32:53.139 --> 00:32:55.675
for the trade unions it's very
important that you have--
00:33:29.743 --> 00:33:32.245
- If everyone thinks this is
a nice clean deal, why doesn't
00:33:32.245 --> 00:33:34.581
the ILO stand up
with Coke and say,
00:33:34.581 --> 00:33:37.217
"Here's what we're going to do,"
and then we don't have to guess.
00:33:37.217 --> 00:33:41.221
- [Right, yeah.]
- So that's one thing we're
trying to provoke, if you will.
00:33:41.221 --> 00:33:43.423
- [We wonder though...]
00:33:43.423 --> 00:33:46.259
- That was a pretty
typical call that I get
00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:49.262
pretty much several times a day
from students around the country
00:33:49.262 --> 00:33:52.766
who are trying to work on
their campaigns to make Coke
00:33:52.766 --> 00:33:55.268
accountable for what's
happening on the campuses.
00:33:55.268 --> 00:33:57.937
That was the University
of Michigan, which initially
00:33:57.937 --> 00:34:00.840
had a very successful campaign
and got Coke removed.
00:34:00.840 --> 00:34:04.110
Now Coke has been reinstated
by the administration,
00:34:04.110 --> 00:34:07.280
based on, I believe,
Coke's representation
00:34:07.280 --> 00:34:09.616
that the ILO investigation
00:34:09.616 --> 00:34:11.918
will in fact be fair
00:34:11.918 --> 00:34:14.254
and neutral and independent.
00:34:14.254 --> 00:34:17.257
And it's our view
that that's impossible,
00:34:17.257 --> 00:34:20.427
that there is something
that is cooked here
00:34:20.427 --> 00:34:23.763
if Coca-Cola was able
to get the ILO
00:34:23.763 --> 00:34:26.599
to do an evaluation for them,
00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:28.768
particularly when Ed Potter is
00:34:28.768 --> 00:34:32.439
the Director of Coca-Cola's
Global Labor Relations
00:34:32.439 --> 00:34:35.642
but also is the US employer
representative to the ILO,
00:34:35.642 --> 00:34:39.479
which is a very,
very powerful position.
00:34:42.148 --> 00:34:44.284
[Background chatter]
00:34:44.284 --> 00:34:47.754
- Por donde... Dan Kovalik!
00:34:53.293 --> 00:34:55.462
[Small talk in Spanish]
00:35:04.671 --> 00:35:07.340
- [D. Kovalik]: The plan is
to go visit a gentleman
00:35:07.340 --> 00:35:09.676
named Rafael Garcia.
00:35:09.676 --> 00:35:12.912
He's now in jail on his own
corruption charges,
but the key is
00:35:12.912 --> 00:35:16.082
that, um, he has idence
00:35:16.082 --> 00:35:18.551
in our case against
the Drummond Coal company.
00:35:18.551 --> 00:35:20.720
He witnessed Augusto Jimenez,
00:35:20.720 --> 00:35:24.724
the President of Drummond's
Colombian operations,
00:35:24.724 --> 00:35:28.561
giving a suitcase of money to...
00:35:28.561 --> 00:35:32.232
a liaison for a very powerful
00:35:32.232 --> 00:35:35.935
paramilitary leader
named "Jorge Cuarenta..."
00:35:37.437 --> 00:35:39.906
for use to murder
00:35:39.906 --> 00:35:43.576
union leaders at Drummond - the
families of whom we represent.
00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:50.517
[Background conversation]
00:35:50.517 --> 00:35:53.520
[Helicopter sounding]
00:36:05.398 --> 00:36:07.567
[Conversation in Spanish]
00:36:11.938 --> 00:36:14.274
It's incredible, man!
00:36:14.274 --> 00:36:16.609
This is like a bomb!
[Laughter]
00:36:16.609 --> 00:36:19.612
We got a signed declaration
00:36:19.612 --> 00:36:22.282
from this witness
that we wanted,
00:36:22.282 --> 00:36:25.085
saying that he witnessed
the President of
00:36:25.085 --> 00:36:28.755
Drummond's Colombian mining
operations pay paramilitaries
00:36:28.755 --> 00:36:31.925
to kill two of the
main leaders there,
00:36:31.925 --> 00:36:33.927
who were killed later.
00:36:37.097 --> 00:36:39.099
I think what's important is
00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:41.267
that we now have
smoking-gun evidence.
00:36:41.267 --> 00:36:44.771
That's going to help workers in
other companies like Coca-Cola.
00:36:44.771 --> 00:36:47.941
It's going to give credence
to all these claims.
00:36:47.941 --> 00:36:50.944
Because people say, "Oh, that's
crazy. That'll never happen!"
00:36:50.944 --> 00:36:52.946
Well, it did happen!
00:36:52.946 --> 00:36:55.949
And it's important
that we now have proof.
00:37:14.234 --> 00:37:16.903
[Speaking in Spanish]
00:37:16.903 --> 00:37:19.639
Gracias.
Muchas gracias. Saludos.
00:37:40.360 --> 00:37:42.062
Fuck!
00:37:45.065 --> 00:37:48.068
Oh, man! Oh!
[F. Ramirez laughing]
00:37:55.075 --> 00:37:57.310
[Dialing beeps and laughter]
00:38:08.955 --> 00:38:10.957
Hi, Terry.
00:38:10.957 --> 00:38:13.460
We've got a confirmation
from El Tiempo
00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:15.795
and they're going to do a story.
00:38:15.795 --> 00:38:18.798
[Talking and laughing at
the other end of the line]
00:38:20.300 --> 00:38:22.302
Yeah.
00:38:22.302 --> 00:38:26.139
Terry, they're fucked!
This is the guy we-
00:38:26.139 --> 00:38:28.642
I was going to talk at
the hearing tomorrow about
00:38:28.642 --> 00:38:32.312
Luis Carlos Rodriguez
and I'm going to hold up
the El Tiempo article.
00:38:32.312 --> 00:38:35.649
And there's going to be
everyone there!
00:38:35.649 --> 00:38:37.851
[Laughing]
00:38:37.851 --> 00:38:40.320
Okay, Terry.
[Talking at the other end]
00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:42.322
Thank you. Bye-bye.
00:38:48.328 --> 00:38:51.064
[Background chatter]
00:38:51.064 --> 00:38:53.500
[Motorist honking]
00:39:06.446 --> 00:39:08.949
- Of particular significance
for today's hearing
00:39:08.949 --> 00:39:12.652
is that the process requires
the paramilitary leaders
00:39:12.652 --> 00:39:15.322
to confess their crimes.
00:39:15.322 --> 00:39:19.159
And this has revealed
serious allegations
00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:22.062
regarding the involvement
of companies,
00:39:22.062 --> 00:39:24.064
including American ones,
00:39:24.064 --> 00:39:26.499
in funding illegal armed groups.
00:39:28.301 --> 00:39:30.303
Francisco Ramirez
00:39:30.303 --> 00:39:34.107
is a Colombian lawyer, unionist
00:39:34.107 --> 00:39:36.776
and human rights activist.
00:40:32.532 --> 00:40:36.036
Next is Dan Kovalik.
00:40:36.036 --> 00:40:39.539
He's Associate General Counsel
for the United Steelworkers.
00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:42.876
He is Counsel for
the Colombian plaintiffs
00:40:42.876 --> 00:40:45.412
in Alien Tort Claims Act cases
00:40:45.412 --> 00:40:48.748
against Drummond, Coca-Cola
and Occidental Petroleum.
00:40:50.216 --> 00:40:53.386
- I was in Colombia
on March 12th 2001,
00:40:53.386 --> 00:40:56.222
meeting with members
of various mining unions.
00:40:58.558 --> 00:41:01.194
When I got to the
CUT offices the next day
00:41:01.194 --> 00:41:03.296
-that's their AFL-CIO-,
00:41:03.296 --> 00:41:05.632
we discovered that the night
we were meeting
00:41:05.632 --> 00:41:09.135
with mining workers,
that two of their brothers,
00:41:09.135 --> 00:41:11.972
Valmore Locarno
and Victor Orcasita,
00:41:11.972 --> 00:41:14.641
were pulled off a company bus,
a Drummond bus,
00:41:14.641 --> 00:41:16.810
taking them home from work.
00:41:18.311 --> 00:41:21.314
Only that bus was stopped
by paramilitaries,
00:41:21.314 --> 00:41:23.617
who boarded the bus,
00:41:23.617 --> 00:41:25.952
asked for those workers
by name -
00:41:25.952 --> 00:41:28.955
Valmore Locarno
and Victor Orcasita.
00:41:28.955 --> 00:41:32.659
They pulled Valmore off the-
pulled them both off the bus,
00:41:32.659 --> 00:41:36.062
murdered Valmore on the spot,
took Victor away,
00:41:36.062 --> 00:41:39.065
tortured him
and assassinated him.
00:41:39.065 --> 00:41:42.068
- Before you finish your
testimony today, I'd like to ask
00:41:42.068 --> 00:41:45.372
Mr. Kovalik, uh,
00:41:45.372 --> 00:41:48.708
if he likes such people
00:41:48.708 --> 00:41:51.211
as Che Guevara -
I've got a picture here.
00:41:51.211 --> 00:41:53.980
It was allegedly
taken in your office,
00:41:53.980 --> 00:41:56.950
with a big poster on the wall
of Che Guevara.
00:41:56.950 --> 00:42:00.053
So I'd like to know if you
are admirers of Che Guevara
00:42:00.053 --> 00:42:02.856
or if you have been to Cuba
and worked with people
00:42:02.856 --> 00:42:04.858
in that government down there.
00:42:04.858 --> 00:42:06.860
I'd like to know why there isn't
00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:09.195
a great deal
of hue and cry about that.
00:42:11.965 --> 00:42:13.967
- Mr. Kovalik, with the-
00:42:13.967 --> 00:42:16.303
Well, Frankly,
I feel like today,
00:42:16.303 --> 00:42:18.438
you've destroyed
your credibility.
00:42:18.438 --> 00:42:20.440
[Background chatter]
00:42:21.942 --> 00:42:24.945
- They showed a picture of me
in front of a poster of Che.
00:42:24.945 --> 00:42:26.947
[Background chatter]
00:42:28.448 --> 00:42:31.851
And they said, you know...
[Background chatter]
00:42:31.851 --> 00:42:34.854
I guess I could have refused
to answer the question, but I-
00:42:34.854 --> 00:42:37.524
I was honest. I said
that yeah, I do admire him.
00:42:37.524 --> 00:42:40.860
You know, not everything about
him, but yeah, some things:
00:42:40.860 --> 00:42:44.364
his dream of a
social justice and...
00:42:44.364 --> 00:42:47.534
He and this other representative
00:42:47.534 --> 00:42:49.869
just seized on that
and, you know,
00:42:49.869 --> 00:42:52.372
questioned my credibility and...
00:42:54.374 --> 00:42:57.978
It was kind of disastrous
for me, you know.
00:42:57.978 --> 00:43:00.747
It didn't go well, you know.
00:43:00.747 --> 00:43:02.682
I was humiliated, you know.
00:43:02.682 --> 00:43:04.818
Now, frankly,
00:43:04.818 --> 00:43:08.188
I just want to go home
and see my kids and try to...
00:43:09.689 --> 00:43:11.691
I don't know.
00:43:13.193 --> 00:43:16.196
[Soft piano music]
00:43:29.776 --> 00:43:31.945
[Truck engine roaring]
00:43:40.086 --> 00:43:42.956
[Traffic sounds]
00:43:42.956 --> 00:43:45.959
[Background chatter]
00:45:19.953 --> 00:45:22.122
- [Both]: No.
00:45:45.312 --> 00:45:48.515
[Truck engine roaring]
00:45:53.820 --> 00:45:55.822
[Background chatter]
00:46:07.734 --> 00:46:10.070
[Background chatter]
00:46:14.908 --> 00:46:17.344
[Soft music]
00:46:39.666 --> 00:46:41.835
[Motorcycle engine roaring]
00:46:53.546 --> 00:46:55.882
♪♪♪
00:47:12.866 --> 00:47:15.635
[Siren sounding]
00:47:52.072 --> 00:47:54.741
[Protestors chanting]
00:48:09.689 --> 00:48:12.626
[Siren sounding]
00:48:16.529 --> 00:48:19.065
[Protestors chanting]
00:48:19.065 --> 00:48:21.101
- Coca-Cola!
00:48:21.101 --> 00:48:23.103
- [Protestors]: Asasina!
00:48:23.103 --> 00:48:25.772
- Asasina!
- [Protestors]: Coca-Cola!
00:48:25.772 --> 00:48:28.808
[And so on...]
00:48:50.297 --> 00:48:53.667
- Coke has itself in a fairly
00:48:53.667 --> 00:48:57.170
unusual situation
in that, right away,
00:48:57.170 --> 00:48:59.673
the judge in the Colombia case
00:48:59.673 --> 00:49:02.575
filed in Miami dismissed
00:49:02.575 --> 00:49:04.577
the Coca-Coca parent company.
00:49:04.577 --> 00:49:06.746
The dismissal was erroneous
00:49:06.746 --> 00:49:09.249
and we're very
confident that, some day,
00:49:09.249 --> 00:49:11.217
we'll get that reversed.
00:49:11.217 --> 00:49:14.721
The judge let them out
based on their representation
00:49:14.721 --> 00:49:18.391
that their bottling agreement
doesn't give them the right
00:49:18.391 --> 00:49:21.227
to control what's
going on in Colombia.
00:49:22.729 --> 00:49:25.565
The judge essentially
took their word for it,
00:49:25.565 --> 00:49:29.402
which is in violation
of the basic procedural rule.
00:49:29.402 --> 00:49:33.106
So Coke's sitting there saying,
"We're not in the case.
00:49:33.106 --> 00:49:35.609
Why are you still bothering us?"
00:49:35.609 --> 00:49:37.944
And our response is, "'Cause you
know as well as I do
00:49:37.944 --> 00:49:40.447
"that you're out of the case
based on a legal error
00:49:40.447 --> 00:49:43.416
"and we're going to get you back
in the case. Plus, nobody cares.
00:49:43.416 --> 00:49:47.253
"Not one public persona
out there cares
00:49:47.253 --> 00:49:50.190
"that you at Coca-Cola
are not in it,
00:49:50.190 --> 00:49:52.192
"as long as
your bottlers are in it.
00:49:52.192 --> 00:49:55.862
"And the reason that you,
Coca-Cola, are talking to us
00:49:55.862 --> 00:49:57.864
"at any time
about resolving this
00:49:57.864 --> 00:50:00.700
"is that you know that
the public understands
00:50:00.700 --> 00:50:02.636
that there is no distinction."
00:50:02.636 --> 00:50:05.138
- Well, we had a meeting
00:50:05.138 --> 00:50:08.141
a couple of weeks ago
in Washington.
00:50:08.141 --> 00:50:11.144
Coke called the meeting.
They called Terry.
00:50:11.144 --> 00:50:14.147
A guy named Ed Potter, Director
of Global Labor Relations
00:50:14.147 --> 00:50:16.616
for Coca-Cola,
he's known Terry for years.
00:50:16.616 --> 00:50:19.786
And Ed called Terry and said,
"You know what?
00:50:19.786 --> 00:50:22.455
"We think we can reach a
settlement in this Coke case
00:50:22.455 --> 00:50:25.959
involving the malfeasance
in Colombia."
00:50:25.959 --> 00:50:27.961
And the meeting didn't go well.
00:50:27.961 --> 00:50:30.130
Essentially, they offered us
the same thing they offered us
00:50:30.130 --> 00:50:32.132
last year, which was...
00:50:32.132 --> 00:50:34.134
It was insulting!
00:50:34.134 --> 00:50:36.636
They said that because these
plaintiffs are Colombian,
00:50:36.636 --> 00:50:39.639
we have to give a discount,
we have to discount
00:50:39.639 --> 00:50:42.142
the monetary value
of their claim
00:50:42.142 --> 00:50:44.477
'cause they're Colombian
opposed to American.
00:50:44.477 --> 00:50:47.480
So whereas this case,
if they were Americans,
00:50:47.480 --> 00:50:49.983
would be worth tens
of millions of dollars
00:50:49.983 --> 00:50:53.954
or a hundred million
dollars or more,
00:50:53.954 --> 00:50:57.958
they said, "Okay, since they're
Colombian, here's our offer:
00:50:57.958 --> 00:51:00.694
a million dollars,
to be shared by everyone."
00:51:00.694 --> 00:51:04.564
So we decided, after that
meeting, because it went nowhere
00:51:04.564 --> 00:51:06.566
and because they really had
00:51:06.566 --> 00:51:09.736
nothing for us, we decided
we had to escalate.
00:51:09.736 --> 00:51:12.072
And we're going to
ratchet up the lawsuits.
00:51:12.072 --> 00:51:15.508
Wherever we see them
committing violations,
00:51:15.508 --> 00:51:19.512
for example in Turkey -we also
know the case in Guatemala-,
00:51:19.512 --> 00:51:22.515
we're going to
file those lawsuits,
00:51:22.515 --> 00:51:25.051
go after them
and hold them responsible.
00:51:25.051 --> 00:51:27.387
If someone farts in another
country, we're going to
00:51:27.387 --> 00:51:30.390
make them go and clean it up,
you know.
00:51:39.399 --> 00:51:42.269
[Motorists honking]
00:51:45.272 --> 00:51:48.275
[Cell phone ringing]
00:51:50.143 --> 00:51:52.145
- [Hey, Dan. Terry here.]
00:51:52.145 --> 00:51:54.514
- [Hey, Terry. How are you?]
- I'm doing great!
00:51:54.514 --> 00:51:56.149
I'm just checking in
00:51:56.149 --> 00:52:00.053
at the last minute to
see if you're all clear
on the argument in the-
00:52:00.053 --> 00:52:02.055
[in the Turkey case.]
00:52:02.055 --> 00:52:05.325
[What are you going to say
when he asks you how come
we filed this case here?]
00:52:05.325 --> 00:52:08.662
[You know, that's the
thing that's kind of
driving us all nuts.]
00:52:08.662 --> 00:52:11.531
- Well, I think what I'm going
to say or what I plan to say
00:52:11.531 --> 00:52:14.367
[is that in Turkey,]
00:52:14.367 --> 00:52:16.703
[they could not get
a fair hearing there,]
00:52:16.703 --> 00:52:18.972
[that the judicial system
there is corrupt...]
00:52:20.473 --> 00:52:23.743
particularly when it
involves claims of unionists
00:52:23.743 --> 00:52:26.246
because the government there
is particularly
00:52:26.246 --> 00:52:30.083
[hostile towards people
trying to form unions,]
00:52:30.083 --> 00:52:32.953
[and that's why these guys
were beaten up.]
00:52:32.953 --> 00:52:36.957
So our position is
that they, you know,
00:52:36.957 --> 00:52:40.894
they don't have any other choice
but to file here,
00:52:40.894 --> 00:52:43.697
where the corporate headquarters
of these defendants
00:52:43.697 --> 00:52:45.699
ultimately are located.
00:52:45.699 --> 00:52:48.902
[Plane roaring overhead]
00:52:52.906 --> 00:52:55.241
♪♪♪
00:53:11.958 --> 00:53:15.128
So it was kind of funny
'cause afterwards, you know,
00:53:15.128 --> 00:53:17.364
I felt like Coke's lawyers
00:53:17.364 --> 00:53:19.866
were kind of high-fiving
and they, at least,
00:53:19.866 --> 00:53:22.369
feigned that they felt
they did well in there,
00:53:22.369 --> 00:53:25.372
but I actually thought
the judge, you know...
00:53:25.372 --> 00:53:28.675
I think what he was
basically saying is
what you were saying, Ivan.
00:53:28.675 --> 00:53:32.679
He, you know, he pointed out
the weaknesses in our case,
00:53:32.679 --> 00:53:35.181
the forum non conveniens , that
is, you know, whether the case
00:53:35.181 --> 00:53:37.150
should be in Turkey
rather than here.
00:53:37.150 --> 00:53:39.152
- Right.
- Um...
00:53:39.152 --> 00:53:42.055
But I think if we firm that up
for him -I think we can do that-
00:53:42.055 --> 00:53:44.157
I think we have it in,
I think we're okay.
00:53:44.157 --> 00:53:46.559
- Yeah, listen. You just have
to protect the judge here.
00:53:46.559 --> 00:53:49.229
He's told you
what his issues are.
00:53:49.229 --> 00:53:52.399
Um, and once we can show him
that this is a forum,
00:53:52.399 --> 00:53:54.901
he knows he has a case,
and then for Coke,
00:53:54.901 --> 00:53:57.304
it might not be as laughable
as they think it is.
00:53:57.304 --> 00:54:00.373
[Background radio chatter]
00:54:02.475 --> 00:54:04.978
[Motorists honking]
00:54:10.684 --> 00:54:12.686
- Well, the reality is
00:54:12.686 --> 00:54:15.689
that it's not our side of
the table but their side
00:54:15.689 --> 00:54:18.525
that has an interest
in prolonging a dispute.
00:54:18.525 --> 00:54:21.194
They get paid by the hour,
00:54:21.194 --> 00:54:24.064
and in one of these large
law firms, the senior partner,
00:54:24.064 --> 00:54:27.200
he makes $800 to $1000 an hour
00:54:27.200 --> 00:54:29.202
for working on a case.
00:54:29.202 --> 00:54:32.706
So if you presented to
that person a very good idea
00:54:32.706 --> 00:54:36.543
for how to solve the problem
quickly and save the company
00:54:36.543 --> 00:54:39.713
all the money and embarrassment,
he will never say it,
00:54:39.713 --> 00:54:42.882
but in his mind he is thinking,
"Well, that's no good.
00:54:42.882 --> 00:54:45.352
"I'd like this case
to last for 10 years
00:54:45.352 --> 00:54:48.488
because I'll make
a lot of money."
00:54:48.488 --> 00:54:52.492
And they make upwards of $3-4
million a year just in salary,
00:54:52.492 --> 00:54:55.061
by continuing to represent
00:54:55.061 --> 00:54:57.664
the likes of a Coca-Cola
00:54:57.664 --> 00:55:00.567
or a Chevron or a Drummond Coal
00:55:00.567 --> 00:55:03.069
and defending their despicable
acts that they commit
00:55:03.069 --> 00:55:05.272
in their overseas operations.
00:55:05.272 --> 00:55:07.607
[Liquid being poured]
00:55:07.607 --> 00:55:09.943
[Sizzling]
00:55:22.322 --> 00:55:24.491
[Background chatter]
00:55:30.897 --> 00:55:32.899
- Coke is innocent!
00:55:32.899 --> 00:55:36.569
Everybody seems to agree,
except for these, um,
00:55:36.569 --> 00:55:38.571
except for these opponents,
00:55:38.571 --> 00:55:41.574
except for the opponents
of Coca-Cola, that Coke is,
00:55:41.574 --> 00:55:43.910
by international
standards, innocent.
00:55:43.910 --> 00:55:46.413
Therefore, long live Coca-Cola
and long live
00:55:46.413 --> 00:55:48.682
the University of Chicago's
right to drink Coca-Cola!
00:55:48.682 --> 00:55:50.650
Thank you.
[Background chatter]
00:55:50.650 --> 00:55:53.653
[Protestors chanting slogans]
00:55:57.157 --> 00:55:59.159
- Well, it's a little, you know,
00:55:59.159 --> 00:56:02.329
provocative, I guess, but
the basic point is, you know-
00:56:02.329 --> 00:56:05.832
There are people- "The Killer
Coke Campaign" is all concerned
00:56:05.832 --> 00:56:08.668
with the human rights of
Colombians, and I just think,
00:56:08.668 --> 00:56:10.837
like, like, it's-
00:56:10.837 --> 00:56:14.341
Really, the important thing
is the free market and,
00:56:14.341 --> 00:56:17.177
you know, the invisible hand
is, is, uh-
00:56:17.177 --> 00:56:19.846
If that's- if that's-
what's going to happen
00:56:19.846 --> 00:56:22.349
under the influence of
capitalism, that's what's
00:56:22.349 --> 00:56:24.651
going to happen under
the influence of capitalism.
00:56:24.651 --> 00:56:27.654
Like, it's too bad, you know,
but really, if-
00:56:27.654 --> 00:56:30.657
You know, I like Coca-Cola.
[Background chatter]
00:56:32.659 --> 00:56:34.661
- Okay! Now listen!
00:56:34.661 --> 00:56:38.665
You know, somebody once
said that in slavery,
there's a job for everyone.
00:56:38.665 --> 00:56:42.068
Well, we don't need
those types of jobs, do we!
00:56:42.068 --> 00:56:45.672
We also don't need jobs
where people go to work and,
00:56:45.672 --> 00:56:48.074
when they stand up
to protect their rights,
00:56:48.074 --> 00:56:51.344
they don't know if
they'll be alive to
go home to their family!
00:56:51.344 --> 00:56:54.681
I'm going to talk about these
issues in here, and I hope,
00:56:54.681 --> 00:56:57.317
when you find out what's going
on with Coca-Cola in Colombia,
00:56:57.317 --> 00:56:59.319
in India, Mexico and elsewhere,
00:56:59.319 --> 00:57:02.355
that you'll support the movement
to kick Coke off this campus!
00:57:02.355 --> 00:57:05.058
Thank you. Hope you'll come in!
- Fuck you!
00:57:05.058 --> 00:57:09.062
- [Protestors]: We want Coke!
- See you in there!
- We want Coke! We want Coke!
00:57:09.062 --> 00:57:11.064
[And so on...]
00:57:12.499 --> 00:57:15.068
- [Student]: Have you ever taken
a class in economics?
00:57:15.068 --> 00:57:17.904
- Maybe I did on campus long ago
but it might've put me to sleep.
00:57:17.904 --> 00:57:19.906
I understand economics.
00:57:19.906 --> 00:57:22.575
- So, you know,
we respond to incentives
00:57:22.575 --> 00:57:24.911
because we chose
between Coke or Pepsi.
00:57:24.911 --> 00:57:28.415
Workers in Colombia,
India, Mexico,
00:57:28.415 --> 00:57:30.717
they have a choice
to work for Coke
00:57:30.717 --> 00:57:32.719
or not to work for Coke.
[Laughter]
00:57:32.719 --> 00:57:35.722
And though you think that
their jobs are shitty as hell,
00:57:35.722 --> 00:57:37.724
it's still better
than the alternative--
00:57:37.724 --> 00:57:40.894
- Felix, if you have a question,
ask it. Otherwise sit down.
- It's coming. It's coming--
00:57:40.894 --> 00:57:42.896
- I- I--
- Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
00:57:42.896 --> 00:57:44.898
- I know where
you're coming from.
00:57:44.898 --> 00:57:47.067
- So they respond to incentives
just like you do.
00:57:47.067 --> 00:57:50.070
How do you make your money?
How does Killer Coke make
its money? You're a sham.
00:57:50.070 --> 00:57:52.238
It's a disgrace to have someone,
one, who has never taken
00:57:52.238 --> 00:57:55.075
an economics course come here
and lecture us! Thank you!
00:57:55.075 --> 00:57:57.744
[Students cheering]
- On this side.
00:57:59.913 --> 00:58:04.217
- In April of this year,
the ILO issued a report
on their conclusions since
00:58:04.217 --> 00:58:06.720
the investigation of
union killings in Colombia.
00:58:06.720 --> 00:58:08.888
They found that the union
killings could be traced
00:58:08.888 --> 00:58:11.391
directly to
the President's office.
00:58:11.391 --> 00:58:14.060
Given that Coca-Cola cannot
execute regime change
00:58:14.060 --> 00:58:16.396
in Colombia and
the ILO has fingered
00:58:16.396 --> 00:58:19.232
the President of Colombia
for killing union activists
00:58:19.232 --> 00:58:22.068
in Colombia, what are
we even doing here?
00:58:22.068 --> 00:58:26.072
- Oh, I think that's a great
question. Actually, you made
a good point for me here.
00:58:26.072 --> 00:58:28.608
What we've stated
in our campaign
00:58:28.608 --> 00:58:31.778
is how the Colombian government
and the secret police
00:58:31.778 --> 00:58:35.782
are working with corporations
such as Chiquita Brands Intl,
00:58:35.782 --> 00:58:38.418
that just paid a 25-million fine
00:58:38.418 --> 00:58:40.921
for working with the
paramilitaries, and guess what!
00:58:40.921 --> 00:58:43.256
You know the CEO
of Chiquita Brands
00:58:43.256 --> 00:58:45.592
on what company
whose board they sit on?
00:58:45.592 --> 00:58:49.596
[Silence]
Coca-Cola Enterprises,
your local bottler!
00:58:49.596 --> 00:58:53.600
You made my point! This is what
these workers are up against!
00:58:53.600 --> 00:58:55.936
It's a collusion
between the government
00:58:55.936 --> 00:58:58.271
working with the paramilitaries
and the big corporations
00:58:58.271 --> 00:59:01.775
to make sure there's no strong
labor or human rights movement
00:59:01.775 --> 00:59:03.944
that can challenge
their authority,
00:59:03.944 --> 00:59:06.947
challenge their profits
or challenge their brutality!
00:59:06.947 --> 00:59:09.816
[Applause and
background chatter]
00:59:09.816 --> 00:59:11.952
- Right now,
we are transitioning.
00:59:11.952 --> 00:59:14.955
Coca-Cola representatives-
As soon as Ray Rogers exits,
00:59:14.955 --> 00:59:18.625
Coca-Cola representatives will
enter and we'll do the same
exact thing with Coca-Cola.
00:59:18.625 --> 00:59:21.962
[Background chatter]
- So could I stay?
00:59:21.962 --> 00:59:24.631
- No, I'm sorry. You can't stay.
00:59:24.631 --> 00:59:27.634
Coca-Cola requested that they
not be filmed 'cause they didn't
00:59:27.634 --> 00:59:30.470
get the correct permissions,
so we're honoring their request.
00:59:31.972 --> 00:59:34.307
[Background chatter]
00:59:44.117 --> 00:59:46.953
[Applause]
00:59:50.790 --> 00:59:54.594
- One question.
- No, no. I'm sorry.
00:59:56.096 --> 00:59:58.932
- So there were these 2, like,
35-year-old white women,
00:59:58.932 --> 01:00:02.035
oh, standing and saying that,
you know, we don't want
01:00:02.035 --> 01:00:04.371
to lecture to you guys,
we just want you to let us know
01:00:04.371 --> 01:00:07.874
what Coca-Cola should be doing
and how we can,
01:00:07.874 --> 01:00:09.876
you know, be a better company.
01:00:09.876 --> 01:00:12.545
And, you know, we really care
and we have someone here
01:00:12.545 --> 01:00:14.714
from the local Coca-Cola chapter
01:00:14.714 --> 01:00:18.385
who is going to talk about,
you know, scholarships.
01:00:18.385 --> 01:00:20.387
And they would just
go on and on and on
01:00:20.387 --> 01:00:22.956
and not really answer the
question, saying the only reason
01:00:22.956 --> 01:00:26.126
that there's any sort of
political controversy is because
01:00:26.126 --> 01:00:28.628
that guy, Ray what's his face,
Ray Rogers,
01:00:28.628 --> 01:00:32.632
he is making it up for his own,
like, political ends.
01:00:32.632 --> 01:00:34.801
And then the students responded,
01:00:34.801 --> 01:00:38.305
"But local organizers in India,
why would they make up
01:00:38.305 --> 01:00:40.974
that their
drinking water is gone?"
01:00:40.974 --> 01:00:43.977
Like, and... It was really good,
and I feel like, on the whole,
01:00:43.977 --> 01:00:47.314
everyone just felt like
they were so patronizing
and so dismissive.
01:00:47.314 --> 01:00:50.216
It was really kind of insulting
how they just kept saying, like,
01:00:50.216 --> 01:00:52.719
"Us folks, down home..."
01:00:52.719 --> 01:00:55.388
I don't know, I thought it
was really interesting,
01:00:55.388 --> 01:00:57.390
but, you know...
01:01:02.329 --> 01:01:04.831
- [R. Rogers]: Coca-Cola
does have a problem.
01:01:04.831 --> 01:01:08.068
They do not want to be on tape,
because they can't get away
with the constant lies
01:01:08.068 --> 01:01:11.237
and misinformation
that they put out there -
that's what it's all about.
01:01:11.237 --> 01:01:13.406
I challenge them
to go ahead and sue me.
01:01:13.406 --> 01:01:15.408
I'd love them to go ahead
and sue me,
01:01:15.408 --> 01:01:18.244
love to do discovery and present
our case - we have no problem.
01:01:18.244 --> 01:01:20.413
Like I say, the truth
is a very strong defense.
01:01:20.413 --> 01:01:24.317
They can't deal with truth
and can't deal with the facts.
01:01:24.317 --> 01:01:26.653
[Train horn sounding off]
01:01:35.695 --> 01:01:37.864
- William C. Wardlaw III,
01:01:37.864 --> 01:01:41.201
who owns some
35,000 shares of Coke.
01:01:41.201 --> 01:01:44.704
- I do recognize you...
- [W. Wardlaw]: Thank you, sir.
01:01:44.704 --> 01:01:47.374
Uh, those shares and others
held by my family
01:01:47.374 --> 01:01:49.876
and our charitable foundations
01:01:49.876 --> 01:01:52.379
go back to my grandfather
01:01:52.379 --> 01:01:54.714
and the initial Coke offering.
01:01:54.714 --> 01:01:57.684
My family and I are unanimous
01:01:57.684 --> 01:02:00.086
in feeling a deep responsibility
01:02:00.086 --> 01:02:04.057
to try to influence Coke to,
indeed, do the right thing.
01:02:04.057 --> 01:02:07.360
People all over the world
are now connected,
01:02:07.360 --> 01:02:09.529
so that the villagers
01:02:09.529 --> 01:02:12.365
in arid areas of India,
01:02:12.365 --> 01:02:15.368
whose wells are being sucked dry
and whose streams
01:02:15.368 --> 01:02:18.071
are being polluted
by Coke bottling plants,
01:02:18.071 --> 01:02:20.073
are in touch with Coke workers
01:02:20.073 --> 01:02:22.709
in Colombia, South America,
01:02:22.709 --> 01:02:25.712
who have seen many of
their leaders assassinated.
01:02:25.712 --> 01:02:28.715
Our relationship
with our bottlers
01:02:28.715 --> 01:02:31.685
is crucial
and extremely complex,
01:02:31.685 --> 01:02:35.355
but some issues
are not complex at all...
01:02:37.190 --> 01:02:39.859
and are non-negotiable.
01:02:39.859 --> 01:02:43.530
We do not sell syrup to bottlers
01:02:43.530 --> 01:02:47.067
who violate basic international
standards of human rights,
01:02:47.067 --> 01:02:49.369
terrorizing workers
01:02:49.369 --> 01:02:51.538
and their union organizers.
01:02:51.538 --> 01:02:54.708
We do not or should not sell
01:02:54.708 --> 01:02:57.711
syrup to bottlers who suck dry
01:02:57.711 --> 01:02:59.879
the wells of villagers.
01:02:59.879 --> 01:03:02.882
- Thank you, Mr. Wardlaw.
[Applause]
01:03:07.354 --> 01:03:10.357
I don't impugn your integrity
01:03:10.357 --> 01:03:12.525
at all, Mr. Wardlaw,
01:03:12.525 --> 01:03:15.061
but I would say that I do wish
01:03:15.061 --> 01:03:18.698
that your statement that are
enlightened by truth-telling
01:03:18.698 --> 01:03:21.534
on the Internet
were entirely true.
01:03:21.534 --> 01:03:24.871
There is a great deal of truth
on the Internet,
01:03:24.871 --> 01:03:27.240
but unfortunately,
there is a great deal
01:03:27.240 --> 01:03:29.809
of perversion of the truth
on the Internet.
01:03:29.809 --> 01:03:31.978
[Liquid being poured]
01:03:31.978 --> 01:03:34.481
[Sizzling]
01:03:39.452 --> 01:03:42.355
[Soft guitar music]
01:03:45.058 --> 01:03:47.861
- So, uh, we're here
01:03:47.861 --> 01:03:50.730
in San Francisco, California,
01:03:50.730 --> 01:03:54.334
and we're having
our 2nd mediation meeting
01:03:54.334 --> 01:03:56.336
with Coca-Cola.
01:03:56.336 --> 01:03:58.338
We made a lot of progress.
01:03:58.338 --> 01:04:00.907
The parties came very close
01:04:00.907 --> 01:04:03.076
to each other on the money.
01:04:03.076 --> 01:04:05.679
But Coke made it very clear
01:04:05.679 --> 01:04:09.583
that they would
only take that offer
01:04:09.583 --> 01:04:13.386
if all the plaintiffs
01:04:13.386 --> 01:04:16.556
that are currently working
at Coke bottling plants,
01:04:16.556 --> 01:04:18.725
which is 8 of them,
01:04:18.725 --> 01:04:22.729
if they'll resign their
employment at Coca-Cola...
01:04:24.898 --> 01:04:27.734
which is an incredible offer
to make at the 11th hour.
01:04:27.734 --> 01:04:30.403
We're this close
to an agreement,
01:04:30.403 --> 01:04:32.405
we've been talking for a year,
01:04:32.405 --> 01:04:35.575
they've never suggested that
these people need to resign,
01:04:35.575 --> 01:04:39.079
the whole case is over
workers and union rights,
01:04:39.079 --> 01:04:42.082
and they want these workers
01:04:42.082 --> 01:04:45.051
and key union leaders
to resign their posts
01:04:45.051 --> 01:04:47.220
in order to make this deal.
01:04:47.220 --> 01:04:50.557
And of course, I said,
"Look, that is a deal killer.
01:04:50.557 --> 01:04:53.560
We won't agree to that.
Take it off the table."
01:04:53.560 --> 01:04:57.230
And so, that was a huge issue,
01:04:57.230 --> 01:05:00.133
I would say even
a poisoned pill,
01:05:00.133 --> 01:05:03.403
that they threw out there
01:05:03.403 --> 01:05:05.405
at the last minute.
01:05:06.906 --> 01:05:09.743
So I now go home
without an agreement but,
01:05:09.743 --> 01:05:12.579
I think, with the hope that
we can reach an agreement,
01:05:12.579 --> 01:05:15.248
um, if they can...
01:05:15.248 --> 01:05:18.184
if Coke comes off this
01:05:18.184 --> 01:05:21.855
ridiculous proposal
that these workers resign.
01:05:24.057 --> 01:05:26.660
[Soft guitar music]
01:05:40.273 --> 01:05:42.475
[Car alarm]
01:05:42.475 --> 01:05:45.845
[Background chatter]
01:06:45.405 --> 01:06:47.407
Hey, Leo!
01:06:47.407 --> 01:06:49.743
- I'm good. How are you?
- Good. How are you doing?
01:06:49.743 --> 01:06:53.079
- Good. So how's our case
in Colombia doing? Have a seat.
01:06:53.079 --> 01:06:55.682
- It's going well.
It's going well, um...
01:06:57.317 --> 01:07:01.054
Let me give you- 'Cause
it's been a while since
we've talked about it. Um...
01:07:01.054 --> 01:07:03.556
First of all,
in terms of the Coke Case,
01:07:03.556 --> 01:07:05.558
with any luck-
01:07:05.558 --> 01:07:07.494
And we've been near, you know,
it's been like--
01:07:07.494 --> 01:07:09.329
- Back and forth.
01:07:09.329 --> 01:07:13.066
- We should be 2 weeks away
from finally settling that case,
01:07:13.066 --> 01:07:15.669
I think, which--
- And what will Coca-Cola-
01:07:15.669 --> 01:07:18.171
Will there be an admission
from Coca-Cola?
01:07:18.171 --> 01:07:20.507
- Not an admission, no. That-
01:07:20.507 --> 01:07:23.076
You know, that's
very difficult to get.
01:07:23.076 --> 01:07:25.679
But I think the fact that
they're settling and that
01:07:25.679 --> 01:07:28.181
there's going to be
a press conference, which-
01:07:28.181 --> 01:07:31.484
And when that's scheduled,
of course, I'd like you
to be there, obviously.
01:07:31.484 --> 01:07:33.653
- Let's try to coordinate it.
- Okay.
01:07:33.653 --> 01:07:36.323
Um, I think a lot
of people will perceive it
01:07:36.323 --> 01:07:38.491
as though they did something.
01:07:38.491 --> 01:07:40.827
I mean, when you pay money,
you did something.
01:07:40.827 --> 01:07:44.164
- You don't pay
if you didn't do it.
- Exactly. Exactly.
01:07:44.164 --> 01:07:47.667
So that's a very positive thing,
um, that we're excited about.
01:07:47.667 --> 01:07:50.170
The other thing they have to do
as part of the settlement is,
01:07:50.170 --> 01:07:52.672
in Colombia, they have to,
01:07:52.672 --> 01:07:55.075
in all the papers
and in the media,
01:07:55.075 --> 01:07:58.345
denounce antiunion violence
and say it's not only wrong,
01:07:58.345 --> 01:08:00.580
it's bad for business.
01:08:00.580 --> 01:08:03.650
- They ought to
denounce it in America too.
- Well, that too. That too.
01:08:03.650 --> 01:08:06.820
Well, it will be here too,
but specifically in Colombia,
01:08:06.820 --> 01:08:10.323
I think - I think what we
essentially want them to do is
tell the paramilitaries,
01:08:10.323 --> 01:08:14.327
"Look, if you think
killing unionists is
helping business, it ain't."
01:08:14.327 --> 01:08:18.064
- It's not, yeah.
- "Because it's embarrassing
us, it's undermining us."
01:08:18.064 --> 01:08:20.667
- "And we're exposing it
all over the world."
01:08:20.667 --> 01:08:23.837
- Absolutely, so I think,
you know,
01:08:23.837 --> 01:08:25.839
Coke has come to its senses.
01:08:47.160 --> 01:08:50.630
- Now let's jump to 2007,
01:08:50.630 --> 01:08:52.632
right now.
01:08:52.632 --> 01:08:56.069
On the Super Bowl football game
01:08:56.069 --> 01:08:58.238
and the Academy Awards,
01:08:58.238 --> 01:09:00.807
Coca-Cola spent,
01:09:00.807 --> 01:09:03.577
just for a few minutes,
01:09:03.577 --> 01:09:06.079
a few minutes of advertising,
01:09:06.079 --> 01:09:09.716
about $20 million or more,
01:09:09.716 --> 01:09:12.385
just for a few minutes
of advertising.
01:09:12.385 --> 01:09:15.221
A 30-second ad on a Super Bowl
01:09:15.221 --> 01:09:17.557
cost $2.6 million.
01:09:17.557 --> 01:09:21.061
$2.6 million for a 30-second ad!
01:09:21.061 --> 01:09:25.065
And I know that this
company certainly
01:09:25.065 --> 01:09:29.069
can be made to
compensate the victims
01:09:29.069 --> 01:09:31.571
-the union and the victims-
01:09:31.571 --> 01:09:34.908
far more than what
my understanding is.
01:09:40.247 --> 01:09:42.582
- [Translator]: We're not
planning a
01:09:42.582 --> 01:09:45.719
submission to
The Coca-Cola Company
01:09:45.719 --> 01:09:47.887
"of our struggle."
01:09:57.731 --> 01:10:00.400
- I understand.
It's not a fight about money.
01:10:00.400 --> 01:10:03.637
It's a fight about power
and dispersion of power.
01:10:03.637 --> 01:10:05.805
That's where the money comes in
01:10:05.805 --> 01:10:08.475
and that is my main concern.
01:10:39.239 --> 01:10:42.242
[Background chatter]
01:11:21.114 --> 01:11:23.917
[Background chatter]
01:11:23.917 --> 01:11:26.653
[Soft guitar music]
01:12:16.269 --> 01:12:18.271
- One thing, though,
01:12:18.271 --> 01:12:20.507
-I just want to confirm
that it came up- is that,
01:12:20.507 --> 01:12:22.509
if we do the 2nd option
01:12:22.509 --> 01:12:25.679
of not agreeing in this process,
01:12:25.679 --> 01:12:28.515
then, at a minimum, all of us,
01:12:28.515 --> 01:12:30.650
particularly the lawyers
01:12:30.650 --> 01:12:33.053
but the campaign
activists as well,
01:12:33.053 --> 01:12:35.488
we would need to be
absolutely crystal clear
01:12:35.488 --> 01:12:39.225
on what precise items
we didn't get
01:12:39.225 --> 01:12:42.562
that would be required
for the deal.
01:12:42.562 --> 01:12:45.865
- If I could do
anything tomorrow
01:12:45.865 --> 01:12:49.869
in regards to this
Coke campaign and cases,
01:12:49.869 --> 01:12:53.873
um, and others would
go along with it,
01:12:53.873 --> 01:12:57.377
I would sign an agreement
largely along the lines
01:12:57.377 --> 01:12:59.879
of what's already
been negotiated.
01:12:59.879 --> 01:13:01.881
And what is that agreement?
01:13:01.881 --> 01:13:05.352
One, they would compensate any
victim that SINALTRAINAL
has put forward.
01:13:05.352 --> 01:13:08.521
Okay? SINALTRAINAL's put forward
everyone they want to;
01:13:08.521 --> 01:13:10.690
Coke's agreed to pay
for those people.
01:13:10.690 --> 01:13:13.193
Even one guy who never
worked for Coke. Okay?
01:13:13.193 --> 01:13:16.196
They've agreed
to start another fund.
01:13:16.196 --> 01:13:18.865
In addition to compensating
people, another fund
01:13:18.865 --> 01:13:21.701
that would help victims
of antiunion violence
01:13:21.701 --> 01:13:24.738
throughout Colombia, whether
they work for Coke or not.
01:13:24.738 --> 01:13:28.408
Coke's agreed they will
publicly denounce antiunion
violence in Colombia.
01:13:28.408 --> 01:13:30.410
They've agreed to
01:13:30.410 --> 01:13:34.080
an international
human and labor rights policy
01:13:34.080 --> 01:13:37.417
that would cover their company
throughout the world.
01:13:37.417 --> 01:13:39.753
I think this is a historic deal.
01:13:42.923 --> 01:13:46.760
- Those discussions have been
going on since August,
01:13:46.760 --> 01:13:49.429
the end of August of 2006.
01:13:49.429 --> 01:13:53.433
It's the longest I or anyone
I know has ever heard of.
01:13:53.433 --> 01:13:56.436
This is extraordinary,
how long this is taking,
01:13:56.436 --> 01:13:59.606
largely because of cultural
and language issues.
01:13:59.606 --> 01:14:01.975
And at the same time,
01:14:01.975 --> 01:14:04.477
the process,
though it has to end,
01:14:04.477 --> 01:14:07.647
-we can't keep doing this,
it's a big drain on resources-,
01:14:07.647 --> 01:14:11.117
if it can't be fixed,
if it can't be resolved,
01:14:11.117 --> 01:14:13.620
then we should just
go back to court.
01:14:18.458 --> 01:14:20.961
I think quite aew
of the union members
01:14:20.961 --> 01:14:24.297
don't really even grasp
01:14:24.297 --> 01:14:27.467
or believe that we could get
01:14:27.467 --> 01:14:29.970
a binding settlemen
with Coca-Cola
01:14:29.970 --> 01:14:32.973
that would benefit
the members of the union.
01:14:32.973 --> 01:14:36.142
I think they don't
trust the process,
01:14:36.142 --> 01:14:38.812
both because it's
an American process
01:14:38.812 --> 01:14:42.315
and because they think
Coca-Cola is so powerful
01:14:42.315 --> 01:14:45.452
that they will not
abide by the agreement.
01:14:49.623 --> 01:14:51.958
[Traffic sounds]
01:15:42.175 --> 01:15:44.744
[Soft cello music]
01:17:07.561 --> 01:17:10.564
- I received a copy
of the letter that was sent
01:17:10.564 --> 01:17:13.733
to the attorneys in the
human rights abuse cases
01:17:13.733 --> 01:17:15.735
from SINALTRAINAL,
01:17:15.735 --> 01:17:18.405
dated July 9th of 2007.
01:17:18.405 --> 01:17:21.241
And it seems like
they're ready to say,
01:17:21.241 --> 01:17:24.244
"Let's go back to square one,
take the gloves off
01:17:24.244 --> 01:17:26.246
and full steam ahead."
01:17:26.246 --> 01:17:28.582
Like I say, we've gone
full steam ahead,
01:17:28.582 --> 01:17:32.218
so the campaign is still
very, very powerful,
01:17:32.218 --> 01:17:35.555
but it'll even be more powerful
if SINALTRAINAL says,
01:17:35.555 --> 01:17:38.224
"Okay, we're taking the gloves
off again and we're going
01:17:38.224 --> 01:17:41.661
to start dispatching our people
all around the world."
01:17:41.661 --> 01:17:44.331
[Plane engine roaring]
01:17:57.310 --> 01:17:59.646
[Background chatter in Spanish]
01:18:01.214 --> 01:18:04.784
- I think it's been, for all
of us, a hard period.
01:18:04.784 --> 01:18:07.787
[Man translating into Spanish]
01:18:07.787 --> 01:18:10.624
And I think at first it was hard
for me to handle that.
01:18:10.624 --> 01:18:13.460
[Man translating into Spanish]
01:18:13.460 --> 01:18:16.529
I mean, largely because
I felt that I had failed.
01:18:16.529 --> 01:18:19.065
[Man translating into Spanish]
01:18:19.065 --> 01:18:21.434
And failed you guys.
[Man translating into Spanish]
01:18:23.904 --> 01:18:27.274
[Spanish-speaking translator
translating into English]
01:18:50.230 --> 01:18:52.732
[Soft guitar music]
01:19:13.053 --> 01:19:16.056
I think what appears
to have happened is that
01:19:16.056 --> 01:19:19.759
those negotiators went back to
the higher-ups of Coke and said,
01:19:19.759 --> 01:19:22.262
"You're crazy.
We can't agree with that."
01:19:22.262 --> 01:19:25.332
I don't think it's
the same deal, so I agree
01:19:25.332 --> 01:19:27.500
that SINALTRAINAL
is right about that.
01:19:31.771 --> 01:19:33.773
- [Terry Collingsworth]:
The fact that they
01:19:33.773 --> 01:19:37.611
would turn down a deal in which
all of them would be enriched
01:19:37.611 --> 01:19:39.613
to the tune of, you know,
01:19:39.613 --> 01:19:42.682
hundreds of thousands
of dollars,
01:19:42.682 --> 01:19:45.151
how could that be a bad thing,
you know, that these folks
01:19:45.151 --> 01:19:51.358
have chosen their integrity
and their dignity over money?
01:19:51.358 --> 01:19:54.361
I mean, isn't that
what everyone should do?
01:19:58.365 --> 01:20:00.700
- [D. Kovalik]: And I guess
in the end, 6 years later,
01:20:00.700 --> 01:20:02.969
I'd say we probably
have accomplished more
01:20:02.969 --> 01:20:06.640
than I honestly or realistically
thought we would.
01:20:08.642 --> 01:20:11.311
I think everyone
who worked on the campaign
01:20:11.311 --> 01:20:13.380
can be proud of what they did.
01:20:14.881 --> 01:20:17.183
- And what we
accomplished is that
01:20:17.183 --> 01:20:19.686
we got Coke to the bargaining
table, we got them to offer
01:20:19.686 --> 01:20:21.688
these guys a shitload of money,
01:20:21.688 --> 01:20:24.190
and gave the union
a chance to say,
01:20:24.190 --> 01:20:26.860
"Fuck you!
I don't want the money!"
01:20:29.696 --> 01:20:32.098
Maybe that's all they needed.
01:20:41.775 --> 01:20:43.944
[Plane engine roaring]
01:20:49.115 --> 01:20:51.918
- We did get Coke to the table
and that was a historic moment
01:20:51.918 --> 01:20:54.721
where a union -SINALTRAINAL,
01:20:54.721 --> 01:20:57.891
a relatively small union- was
able to bring one of the largest
01:20:57.891 --> 01:21:00.961
corporations in the world
to the bargaining table.
01:21:00.961 --> 01:21:03.630
We fought hard at
that bargaining table,
01:21:03.630 --> 01:21:06.499
for more than a year
-actually about 17 months-,
01:21:06.499 --> 01:21:08.868
and now, as I said,
01:21:08.868 --> 01:21:12.872
we're agreeing
among ourselves to stop.
01:21:12.872 --> 01:21:16.876
I'm disappointed because
we put a lot of time into this.
01:21:16.876 --> 01:21:19.879
We filed the case in 2001,
01:21:19.879 --> 01:21:22.716
we were in the court
for a very long time
01:21:22.716 --> 01:21:25.352
before Coke agreed
to start talking with us,
01:21:25.352 --> 01:21:28.054
and after 15-16 months
01:21:28.054 --> 01:21:30.891
of negotiation,
we got very close.
01:21:30.891 --> 01:21:33.894
[Background chatter in Spanish]
As a lawyer, I'm happy.
01:21:33.894 --> 01:21:36.263
I'm going to get to take a
crack, in the Court of Appeals,
01:21:36.263 --> 01:21:39.266
at reversing that decision
and I think we will prevail.
01:21:39.266 --> 01:21:41.268
- Ray!
- Brother, how are you?
01:21:41.268 --> 01:21:42.769
- Oh, Terry!
01:21:42.769 --> 01:21:44.771
- Now the dynamic
is going to change
01:21:44.771 --> 01:21:47.607
in that we're going to be
marching towards a ruling
01:21:47.607 --> 01:21:50.543
in the Court of Appeals that
I think will be favorable to us.
01:21:53.079 --> 01:21:56.082
It is a challenge, but it's
a challenge worth taking on,
01:21:56.082 --> 01:21:58.852
and I'm very much
conscious of the fact
01:21:58.852 --> 01:22:00.921
that we could change the world,
01:22:00.921 --> 01:22:02.856
if you will,
01:22:02.856 --> 01:22:05.892
if we're successful
in winning these cases.
01:22:09.396 --> 01:22:13.066
- Good morning.
My name is Elton Shepherd.
01:22:13.066 --> 01:22:15.569
I'm a shareowner.
01:22:15.569 --> 01:22:18.738
Since Mr. Isdell's
return to Coca-Cola,
01:22:18.738 --> 01:22:21.074
he has received about
01:22:21.074 --> 01:22:24.578
$1 million per month in salary,
01:22:24.578 --> 01:22:28.081
bonus and free restricted stock.
01:22:28.081 --> 01:22:30.550
Mr. Isdell, when you
left Coca-Cola
01:22:30.550 --> 01:22:34.387
in 1998, you received 20 million
01:22:34.387 --> 01:22:37.057
in unvested free stock.
01:22:37.057 --> 01:22:39.059
When you returned,
01:22:39.059 --> 01:22:41.561
you received a new grant
of 7 million
01:22:41.561 --> 01:22:43.897
in free restricted stock.
01:22:43.897 --> 01:22:45.899
Since 1983,
01:22:45.899 --> 01:22:49.069
$1.5 billion
01:22:49.069 --> 01:22:52.572
in free restricted stock
has been awarded.
01:22:52.572 --> 01:22:54.741
Incredibly,
01:22:54.741 --> 01:22:58.245
$660 million
01:22:58.245 --> 01:23:01.748
went to just 3 executives.
01:23:01.748 --> 01:23:03.383
Alan Greenspan
01:23:03.383 --> 01:23:06.386
calls this infectious greed.
01:23:06.386 --> 01:23:08.388
I agree.
01:23:08.388 --> 01:23:10.724
[Moderate applause]
01:23:15.562 --> 01:23:18.698
- M. Shepherd, you raise
a number of issues and I do
01:23:18.698 --> 01:23:20.200
appreciate your continued
01:23:20.200 --> 01:23:22.202
interest in the company.
01:23:44.524 --> 01:23:46.860
[Liquid being poured]
01:23:46.860 --> 01:23:48.862
[Sizzling]
01:24:05.645 --> 01:24:08.148
♪♪♪
01:24:43.683 --> 01:24:46.686
Closed Captioning by SETTE inc.
01:24:48.688 --> 01:24:51.191
[Soft accordion waltz]
Distributor: Pragda Films
Length: 90 minutes
Date: 2010
Genre: Expository
Language: Spanish; English
Grade: Middle School, High School, College, Adult
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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