organising

The IUF-affiliated German union NGG has been facing extensive restructuring with the closure of many Coca-Cola sites nationwide but even so more drinks are produced each year leading to an increase of productivity by employees of 13.5% from 2015 to 2016.

By a majority vote, production workers at the Coca Cola manufacturing facility in Allentown, PA have voted to join Teamsters Local 773 in Allentown. There are 90 employees in the union bargaining unit, all of which work in the syrup production facility, the key ingredient in Coca-Cola beverages.

Employees of Coca Cola in the greater Cincinnati area working in the Vending Service Department recently joined Teamsters Local 1199.  The employees, 32 in all, repair vending machines and fountain equipment in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Area.

“Tito” Zelko is a C.P.A. who has been working for the Finance Department of The Coca Cola Company since 1985. He was previously employed by the Ford Motor Company until that same year, when the automotive firm closed down its offices in Uruguay. Zelko was hired by TCCC at the time when Uruguay was leaving behind a period of military dictatorship (1973 - 1985).

negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement are set to begin, the members of the negotiating committee of the Autonomous Union of BEPENSA - Coca-Cola Workers (SATRABECO) participated in a Collective Bargaining Workshop organized by Bernabel Matos. SIREL spoke with the union’s general secretary, Linares Díaz, to learn more about this workshop.