A Coca Cola worker for 20 years, he was a truck driver for 18 years and now works at the warehouse. He is 49 years old, President of Local 350 CAW/TCA which represents the 200 Coca Cola workers at Edmonton, who are drivers, technicians, warehouse and office workers. In this exclusive interview with SIREL, Hauck tells the story of how Coca Cola Canada will not purchase garment or any other merchandise manufactured in Myanmar (former Burma).

-What happened with the Coca Cola workers garment in Canada?

-Two years ago we received our garment and we realized they were manufactured in Myanmar. We called the attention of the local management and reminded them of the situation in Myanmar. We explained it is not possible that they provide us with clothes manufactured in a country with such a record in terms of human and labor rights, considering that it is a country where even Coca-Cola refuses to do business in.

I also sent a sample to the CAW International Department in Toronto, who in turn reported it to the Maquila Solidarity Network.

To the credit of the Coca Cola local management in Edmonton, they told everyone to return their uniforms.

At the company Christmas party, one prize had a "Made in Burma" label and I reported the fact again to the International Department.

Then, I wrote a letter to Tom Barlow, President of Coca Cola Canada, telling him my dismay to see that the company still had items made in Myanmar, a country where Coca-Cola refuses to even operate in, (like most transnational corporations, including Eddie Bauer, Liz Claybourne and Levi Strauss) in part because of concerns over human rights and the brutality of the military dictatorship.

-We know you received an answer. What is your assessment?

-We received a very positive letter from Coca Cola Limited, which is owned by Coca Cola Atlanta, in which they inform that going forward they will not purchase merchandise that contains any component obtained from Myanmar and they are contacting suppliers to tell them the decision of not buying articles with Coca Cola tags manufactured in that country.

-Against this background, how do you see the stance of CAW and the reply from the IUF in this issue?

-I am aware that, once informed, the IUF reacted with the intention to include this problem in the agenda for the meeting to be held in October between the IUF and Coca Cola Atlanta.

The Company realized they had made a mistake and moved to solve it. Coca Cola has many edges and we have to be vigilant so that these things will not happen again.

I think the presence of the IUF and the fact it was mentioned in my letter helped to solve the problem quickly.

This is just a small sample of what unions can do when they work internationally and of the power of international solidarity among workers.

Beatriz Sosa Martinez

©Rel-UITA

5 September, 2005

* President Local #350 CAW/TCA, Edmonton, Alberta Canada

Chairman Canadian Soft Drink Workers Council (which represents 18,000 workers of this sector in Canada).