Local Union Charges of Management Intimidation Upheld by NLRB

ATLANTA, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of a settlement agreement, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ordered a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, Inc., to post a statement in its Marietta and College Park bottling facilities, telling employees that they have a legal right to form a union. The agreement is the result of a charge brought by Teamsters Local 728 in Atlanta after Coca-Cola interfered with a union election last year for employees at these facilities.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO)

"Before the union election the employees had to endure captive meetings and other roadblocks from Coca-Cola management," said Randy Brown, President of Local 728. "This is the third settlement that the NLRB has penalized Coca-Cola with in relation to union organizing in Atlanta."

Prior to the 2010 union election the NLRB found that Coca-Cola management threatened employees who were trying to form a union. The company promised to end those harmful practices and posted notices stating that it would refrain from committing such labor rights violations moving forward. In addition, the NLRB had already awarded $14,000 to a Coca-Cola employee who had been terminated and who was pressing for Teamster representation at his facility. Last July the NLRB also ordered Coca-Cola to pay thousands of dollars to hourly employees at the Marietta bottling plant for wage adjustments dating back to April, 2010.

"We just want a level playing field when it comes to employees' rights," Brown said. "This third settlement against Coca-Cola in Atlanta shows that employees want union representation and that they will keep working for it. And, while they do, the Teamsters will be there to represent them."

There are 323 Coca-Cola employees in three locations near Atlanta. The Teamsters currently represent more than 14,000 Coca-Cola employees throughout the United States.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.Teamster.org or www.teamsterslocal728.org

SOURCE Teamsters Local 728, Atlanta

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