Protestors Rally Outside Coca-Cola Headquarters in Atlanta to Demand Company Treat African Employees With HIV/AIDS
More than 75 people yesterday demonstrated outside of Coca-Cola's Atlanta headquarters to call on the company to provide antiretroviral drugs for its African workforce, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The protestors, who represented 10 groups including the AFL-CIO, ACT UP/Atlanta, Concerned Black Clergy and Amnesty International, said that Coca-Cola does not do enough to provide access to treatment for its HIV-positive workers and called on the company to "do more." In response, Coca-Cola officials said that the African plants, which it does not own but operates on a contractual basis, are developing "AIDS strategies." The plants employ about 100,000 African workers. Officials also noted that the company is working with UNAIDS to develop HIV/AIDS education, prevention and treatment programs on the continent (Stafford, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/23).
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