Venezuelan Top Court Asked to Deal with Coca-Cola Conflict

Posted November 2, 2006 in [Corporations]

El Universal (Caracas)

Parliamentarian Iris Varela (ruling party MVR) and a group of former workers of Coca-Cola Femsa submitted to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) a document okayed by the National Assembly asking the top court to find a solution to the labor conflict.

TSJ President Omar Mora Díaz vowed that the Social Court would address the matter, but declined setting a period to solve the issue.

"The National Assembly urged us to find alternative problem solution mechanisms, such as conciliation meetings. We are going to consider that and, if feasible, we would ask the parties to hold talks," Mora explained. "If that is not possible and we choose to hear the case, then we should gather all of the files and convene a hearing to ensure due process, so that we can issue a ruling that may respond to all of the cases pending."

Last week, some 5,000 former workers of Coca-Cola distributors imposed a siege on the corporation's bottling sites and offices thus taking operations to a halt for four days.