Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters

American Association of University Professors

Resolution passed by the Executive Council of Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters on December 9, 2004:

WHEREAS Coca Cola has bottling plants world-wide in many underdeveloped countries, and

WHEREAS many of these plants are in countries ruled by autocratic regimes or governments that owe their existence to U.S. governmental support, and

WHEREAS in Colombia, where Coke has bottling plant, the U.S. government provides billions of dollars annually as well as military assistance to defeat insurgent forces, and

WHEREAS Coca Cola has collaborated with the Colombian forces to target union activists, and

WHEREAS union activists at the Coca Cola plant have been assassinated by paramilitary groups, and

WHEREAS union activists in Colombia and throughout the world are calling on their union brothers and sisters to boycott Coca Cola, and

WHEREAS Rutgers University has an exclusive contract with Coca Cola,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Rutgers AAUP, in solidarity with unions and colleges around the world who are taking similar actions, urge President McCormick not to renew the contract with Coca Cola when it expires in the spring of 2005 and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Rutgers AAUP not serve Coca Cola products at its meetings and urge national AAUP to do the same, and

FINALLY BE IT RESOLVED that AAUP publicize this issue on its website and in its publications.