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Venezuela workers in Coke dispute | Venezuela workers in Coke dispute |
(about 4 hours later) | |
More than 10,000 former workers of Coca-Cola's subsidiary in Venezuela are blockading bottling plants and depots. | More than 10,000 former workers of Coca-Cola's subsidiary in Venezuela are blockading bottling plants and depots. |
They say a Mexican-based subsidiary of Coke owes them a large amount of money in unpaid social benefits. | They say a Mexican-based subsidiary of Coke owes them a large amount of money in unpaid social benefits. |
But Coca-Cola representatives in Mexico have roundly condemned the blockade as an illegal act. | But Coca-Cola representatives in Mexico have roundly condemned the blockade as an illegal act. |
The protesters are being backed by a special parliamentary commission consisting of leftist legislators loyal to President Hugo Chavez. | |
At one Coca-Cola plant in Caracas about 500 former workers blocked the exits and entrances, preventing the lorries which normally supply shops, kiosks and restaurants from leaving the factory. | |
The protestors are demanding that millions of dollars in unpaid social benefits such as pensions and severance payments be paid immediately to them by Coca-Cola Femsa, a Mexican-based subsidiary of the US soft drinks company. | The protestors are demanding that millions of dollars in unpaid social benefits such as pensions and severance payments be paid immediately to them by Coca-Cola Femsa, a Mexican-based subsidiary of the US soft drinks company. |
Another 10,000 former contractors are camped outside 75 Coke warehouses and plants around Venezuela. | Another 10,000 former contractors are camped outside 75 Coke warehouses and plants around Venezuela. |
They say they are prepared to stay put until their demands are met. But Coca-Cola Femsa says this will put more than 7,000 jobs at risk in Venezuela. | They say they are prepared to stay put until their demands are met. But Coca-Cola Femsa says this will put more than 7,000 jobs at risk in Venezuela. |
State takeover | State takeover |
"This blockade is just the prelude to Coca-Cola being nationalised and turned over to the Venezuelan state," Nixon Lopez, a workers' leader, told the BBC. | "This blockade is just the prelude to Coca-Cola being nationalised and turned over to the Venezuelan state," Nixon Lopez, a workers' leader, told the BBC. |
"We're showing the world," he added, "that no multi-national company can just come here to humiliate Venezuelan employees." | "We're showing the world," he added, "that no multi-national company can just come here to humiliate Venezuelan employees." |
The protesters are being backed by a special commission in parliament. | The protesters are being backed by a special commission in parliament. |
The committee, consisting of leftist MPs, is looking at taking control of the firm if it refuses to hand out the missing payments. | The committee, consisting of leftist MPs, is looking at taking control of the firm if it refuses to hand out the missing payments. |
This isn't the first time lawmakers loyal to President Chavez have threatened to take over the assets of big international companies here. | This isn't the first time lawmakers loyal to President Chavez have threatened to take over the assets of big international companies here. |
President Chavez has himself spoken of seizing Venezuela's biggest phone company in a similar case to the Coca-Cola dispute. | President Chavez has himself spoken of seizing Venezuela's biggest phone company in a similar case to the Coca-Cola dispute. |
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