News Article

Coke's Black Employees Step Up Pressure To Resolve A Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

The New York Times

Published: March 23, 2000

At a rally this month, black employees held empty Coke cans aloft outside an Atlanta church to protest Coca-Cola's treatment of blacks. A similar rally is scheduled for Saturday. And when Coca-Cola holds its annual shareholder meeting in Wilmington, Del. , on April 19, many of the company's current and former black employees plan to travel to it by bus convoy to make a statement about their frustrations at the company.

"We have an interesting story to tell at the shareholder meeting," said Larry Jones, who worked at Coke 15 years, most recently as a benefits manager, before being dismissed last month. "The company has done such a good job at telling the world what a good company it is, and on the inside, it absolutely does not practice what it preaches. "

Mr. Jones said he had not been given a time to speak at the meeting, traditionally a staid affair at which Coke executives review the past year and make upbeat predictions about the next one. If conditions do not improve for blacks, though, he has said he may even call for a national boycott of Coca-Cola products.