Last August 22, the 3rd Meeting of the Latin American Federation of Coca Cola Workers (FELATRAC) was held in Tegucigalpa. Sirel discussed with Pablo Quiroga, leader of the  Argentinean Federation of Carbonated Beverages and Related Industry Workers (FATAGA) and General Secretary of the FELATRAC

-How and why was the FELATRAC born?

-It was created in 2008 in view of the concern of many brothers who witnessed how large transnational corporations were globally organized.

We, as workers, decided to face this fact with the same strategy, and so the need to build an organization of  Coca Cola workers within the IUF emerged.

From that moment on, unions from several  Latin American countries began to join this new union organization. At present, FELATRAC represents 64 unions from eleven countries of the region.

-What have been the main achievements of the FELATRAC during its two years of existence?

-We have reached several goals, mainly in relation to  FEMSA, which is almost everywhere in this region.

We have developed several very concrete actions in defense of the member unions of  FELATRAC, and some others have been in support of negotiation and collaborative actions.

We have also become a part of the dialogue process of the  IUF with the Coca Cola Company in Atlanta, United States, where broad and deep problems of  Latin American countries are dealt with.

-What has been the reaction of Coca Cola faced with this important organizing effort by workers?

-At first the reaction was of concern, but later they could tell that ours is a serious work. Mainly FEMSA could realize that our purpose is not to create problems but to solve them.

-Why was there a decision to hold this 3rd  Meeting of the Executive Committee in Honduras?

-The meeting was going to be held in Panama. But faced with the facts in Honduras one year ago, there was a decision to move this event to this country, also in solidarity with our brothers of  STIBYS, who have been subject to very strong repressive actions.

-What were the contents of this meeting?

-The development of the meeting was very fraternal, with a great sense of solidarity. We were joined by brothers from new countries, from unions that were not a part in the beginning, such is the case of  El Salvador and Paraguay.

Our discussions included several issues, including the situation in each country, our agenda for the global meeting with the Coca Cola Company in Atlanta in October and, eventually, the resolution on the final membership of the FELATRAC Executive Committee.

-What is your evaluation of this 3rd Executive Committee meeting?

-It was a very positive event. We have been asserting for a long time that we need to come together and share views more frequently in order to build trust and go on making progress.

-During the 6th Regional Meeting of Beverage Unions flexibility and employment precarization was considered at large, the FELATRAC could be an effort to counteract against this strategy?

-The presentation of our brother Gerardo Castillo was spectacular. We consider that it was an important tool to "open our minds" and trigger our thoughts.

Several concrete issues, very real, being experienced in all countries, were tackled. All of this is very useful to continue developing our work.

From Tegucigalpa, Giorgio Trucchi

Rel-UITA

August 26, 2010