Published: 11/03/2016

FamilydayFor more than two years the IUF has called for the reinstatement and full restoration and guarantees of the human rights of the 28 unfairly dismissed workers at a warehouse run by Radhakrishna Foodland Pvt. Ltd that exclusively supplies PepsiCo in West Bengal. The submission of a formal OECD Guidelines complaint to the US National Contact Point, IUF/PepsiCo discussions in 2015, and recent mediation in Washington DC held under the auspices of the US National Contact Point following this complaint have failed to resolve the conflict that exists between the IUF and PepsiCo.
 
The IUF organized a family day celebration for 28 workers and their families still determined to win back their rights. The celebration took place on March 6, 2016 in Dhulagarh, West Bengal and involved 78 family members including 23 children. Children were given school bags and families were provided with some food packages. A special playing facility was organized for small children.
 
PepsiCo remains in total denial and stands fully behind its warehouse supplier. As such the company is fully complicit in the human rights abuses committed by its supplier. The IUF will continue to hold PepsiCo directly responsible for these supply chain abuses in West Bengal, India and we will do so until a fair and just remedy is provided to these workers. Until then PepsiCo’s pious supplier code and its claim to fully respect the human rights of workers in its supply chain stand exposed and in tatters.