Trade unionists from UNISON and Hammersmith Trades Council joined samba musicians, Iranian refugees and students from Sussex university on Colombia Solidarity Campaign’s emergency protest at Coca-Cola’s London Headquarters on 20 December.
The protest drew attention to imminent death threats against targeted members of SINALTRAINAL trade union – namely Nelson Perez, Luis Eduardo Garcia, Jose Domingo Flores and union president Javier Correa – and their families in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
We sang specially written carols, (‘Violent Night’ etc) beat out rhythms and leafleted thousands of Christmas shoppers passing by the corporation’s UK offices in Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6. (see pictures)
Despite sustained efforts to negotiate a just and decent solution for threatened Coca-Cola workers, in September year long negotiations between SINALTRAINAL and Coca-Cola broke down, and the union most affected has called for a re-launch of the international campaign of public mobilisation to protect its members lives.
This is the message that we will take into the New Year, in deciding what next can be done.
