Posted on 12/30/2005 10:49:58 AM PST by BurbankKarl
The University of Michigan suspended sales of Coca-Cola products on its three campuses over allegations that the company permits human rights and environmental abuses abroad.
The suspension, which begins Jan. 1, will affect vending machines, residence halls, cafeterias and campus restaurants. Coke's contracts with the university are worth about $1.4 million.
The university and the company said they will continue to negotiate.
"The University of Michigan is an important school, and I respect the way they worked with us on this issue," said Kari Bjorhus, a spokeswoman for The Coca-Cola Co., told the Detroit News. "We are continuing to try hard to work with the university to address concerns and assure them about our business practices."
Michigan's decision was prompted by a complaint last year from Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality. The student group accused Coke of draining local groundwater in India and conspiring with paramilitary groups in Colombia to harass and harm union members.
The company has repeatedly denied the allegations, which have prompted other schools to suspend sales.
The university, which has more than 50,000 students, decided not to renew its contracts when Coke said it was unable to meet a Dec. 31 deadline to cooperate in an investigation of circumstances in Colombia. The university and several other colleges had offered to fund the investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
My mother is a Wolverine, and a certified koolaid liberal.
She's still p!$$ed that I never even applied to UofM and got my degree from a non-political engineering college.
Apparently this is in retaliation for alleged "union harrasssment" in Colombia. The commies don't drink "Coke", but sure like to grow it.
http://www.workers.org/2005/us/coca-cola-1229/
Gotta go get some...and some rum (Demerara)
Pepsi execs must have some pretty big smiles :~)
Captain and diet Pepsi (just a splash of diet) is far superior.
Not this Pepsi drinker. Coke tastes flat and syrupy to me.
"Michigan's decision was prompted"
s/b
"The University of Michigan's decision was prompted"
Looks like another US company should move operations to Mexico. That *is* the goal of this student campaign I'm sure.
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