Cola doesn own the bottling plants. Is it fair to ask Coca-Cola to control the behavior of the bottlers?
Yes. Coca-Cola has partial ownership of 75% of its bottlers in Colombia, with a 24% share in Panamco, also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The case of Guatemalan bottling plants illustrates that Coca-Cola has the power to cut ties with immoral business partners, improve human rights and make a profit. Currently Coca-Cola says the Guatemalan situation cannot be extrapolated to Colombia, and that they have no control over the bottling plants. Yet Coca-Cola does oversee strict requirements on beverage ingredients, use of company logos, and standards of employee appearance. It should be able to oversee the human rights of its workers as well. I often feel uncomfortable when I hear the rhetoric of labor unions. Why should we support unions anywhere, let alone Colombia? Jesus said “Whatever you do to the least of these you do also to me.” (Matt. 25:40) Manufacturing employees in Colombia work long hours for little pay. Their lives and their safety mean little to the manufacturers employ
