In an important step forward the IUF’s affiliate representing workers at the Coca-Cola bottler in Peru (El Sindicato de Trabajadores de Embotelladora Latinoamericana (Coca-Cola) del Perú) signed a collective agreement with the company in the closing days of December 2002.
After an earlier serious and sustained struggle for recognition and following lengthy and sometimes difficult negotiations the union can rightly be proud of its new agreement and of the benefits it will bring to Coca-Cola workers in the local company. The IUF’s Latin American regional secretary Gerardo Iglesias was quick to congratulate the union on behalf of the Latin American region after earlier assuring them of all the support they might need internationally to obtain an decent settlement.
IUF general secretary Ron Oswald has followed this with congratulations on behalf of the entire IUF membership and particularly that membership throughout Coca-Cola.
Commenting on news of the agreement Oswald said,”This shows that determined and sustained negotiations can bring concrete benefits to our members in Coca-Cola in even the most difficult of circumstances. The local union has done an outstanding job in reaching this agreement. I congratulate them and am proud to count them amongst our global membership. They are an example to Coca-Cola workers fighting for fairness and justice throughout the Coca-Cola system world-wide, an example the IUF plans to see replicated wherever our members are still to achieve decent working conditions, dignity and respect in this giant global corporation.”
