Yes, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) — a member organization of the AFL-CIO — has a substantial union membership of some 1.5 million, including retirees. But the huge, international commercial enterprise it just took on has some $47 billion in annual sales. So what does the AFT — the country’s second largest teachers union — think it will accomplish in issuing its highly publicized ban on coke products at its facilities, functions, and events? As Fox News reports, the teachers union has passed a resolution to ban Coca-Cola from places and activities over which it has control. The teachers union stated its decision was based on human rights violations, which have been detailed in three books published several years ago. The Coca-Cola Company says the charges about supposed human rights violations and unfair labor practices raised in those books have long ago been debunked, as they were based on “outdated and erroneous allegations that we have repeatedly addressed.” The real issue, according to a post on foxnews, has to do with Coca-Cola not employing union workers. Because AFT is a labor organization, it will stand in solidarity with other labor organizations that have taken a stance against Coca-Cola, AFT spokesman Michael Heenan told Watchdog.org. This may be more about the union resenting the beverage companies’ practice of subcontracting instead of hiring permanent employees, which is cited in the AFT resolution, said Larry Sand, president of the California Teachers Empowerment Network. Some wonder how the American Federation of Teachers can possibly enforce any ban against Coke products. The company markets and sells all sorts of consumer brands, including Sprite, Fanta, Dasani, Minute Maid, PowerAde, Smart Water, Fuze, Honest Tea, and Adwalla. The move to ban Coke products by the AFT is part of a larger campaign by so-called human rights organizations, including the “Campaign To Stop Killer Coke,” to punish the Atlanta-based company. Corporate Campaign, Inc. and the Campaign to Stop Killer Coke announce that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT, AFL-CIO) has declared the banning of all Coca-Cola products from its facilities and events, as an official policy of the union. “You can always count on the American Federation of Teachers to stand up for children, labor and human rights,” commented Ray Rogers, noted organizer, human rights advocate and director of Corporate Campaign, Inc. and Campaign to Stop Killer Coke. There’s no indication that we’ve seen that teachers who belong to the AFT plan to take their Coke-bashing views or rhetoric into their classrooms in order to influence students. westernjournalism/see-one-americas-biggest-unions-just-attacked-one-worlds-biggest-brands/
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 00:13:11 +0000