Murder in Colombia prompts group to sue Nestlé units in Miami

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/15869469.htm

Murder in Colombia prompts group to sue Nestlé units in Miami
The widow of a brutally murdered Nestlé worker joins others in a lawsuit against the firm over her husband's death.
BY JANE BUSSEY
[e-mail]

Colombian trade unionist Luciano Enrique Romero died a slow death. The fired Nestlé factory worker, whose body was found in a paramilitary-controlled area of Colombia a year ago, was tied up, tortured and then stabbed 40 times.

Now Romero's widow, Colombian labor union SINALTRAINAL and the Washington-based International Labor Rights Fund have filed a lawsuit in Miami charging Nestlé USA and Nestlé of Colombia with complicity in his death.

Nestlé USA, headquartered in Glendale, Calif., said in response to questions Friday: ''We have not been served with a copy of the lawsuit, and therefore we have no comment at this time.'' The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Switzerland-based Nestlé SA, the largest food and beverage company in the world.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court, charges that Romero was killed by members of Colombia's paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces because the union leader helped expose Nestlé's use of expired milk in its Milo brand drink. The Colombian government later confirmed the 2001 allegations, the lawsuit said.

FULL story at link above.

[NVMojo]

1. US corruption is worldwide and dangerous

[rman]

4. Transnational corporate corruption

It is not limited to the US, although the US is definitely a front runner.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Omigod. I guess you should expect evil news like this,yet it's hard to accept.

More from the Herald article, which fits EXACTLY with everything else I've heard of the paramilitary/military/Uribe government control of Colombia:

Nestlé operated in complicity with the paramilitary; plant managers met openly with them inside the factory in Valledupar, in northern Colombia, the lawsuit said.

In October 2002, Nestlé fired Romero, a 20-year veteran. Romero also received numerous death threats, and two years ago he fled to Spain, where the Organization of American States International Committee on Human Rights placed him under a protection program.

Romero returned to Colombia in early 2005 and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Nestlé. About a month later his body was found in Las Palmas, the lawsuit said.

''I spoke with him a few days before the killing,'' said Javier Correa, president of SINALTRAINAL, which represents workers at food and beverage firms. ``They killed him slowly by stabbing him 40 times. It was a crime to spark terror and fear among labor union members.''

Correa said several paramilitary members were charged in the killing, but they are currently in military-protected camps and could potentially be eligible for amnesty under a new law.
(snip/...)

Jesus H. Christ.

Next we'll be hearing they are coming to the States so _Bush can give them each a "Medal of Freedom."

Thank you, Omaha Steve.

[fed-up]

3. Every time you bite into a chocolate bar think of Luciano=Boycott Nestle nt

[Make7]

5. They sell much more than candybars.

Here is a list of their US brands:

ADDITIONS™
AFTER EIGHT® Biscuits & Mints
ALBERS® Corn Meal and Grits
ALPO®
ALPO® COME 'N GET IT®
AQUARI-YUMS™ cat treats

BABY RUTH®BACI®
BEGGIN' STRIPS® dog treats
BENEFUL® dog food
BIT-O-HONEY®
BOTTLE CAPS®
BUITONI®
BUITONI® Risotto & Foccacia Bread Mix
BUSY BONE™ dog treats
BUTTERFINGER®

CARLOS V®
CAT CHOW® cat food
CHEF-MATE®
CHEW-RIFIC™ dog treats
CHUNKY®
COFFEE-MATE®
COFFEE-MATE™ LATTE CREATIONS™
CROISSANT POCKETS® brand sandwiches
CRUCIAL®

DELI-CAT® cat food
DOG CHOW® dog food

FAA™
FANCY FEAST® cat food
FRISKIES® canned & dry cat food

GOBSTOPPERS®
GOOBERS®
GOOD START® Infant Formulas

HI PRO® dog food
HOT POCKETS® brand sandwiches

KIBBLES AND CHUNKS® dog food
KIT 'N KABOODLE® cat food
KITTEN CHOW® cat food
KLIM®

LA LECHERA® Sweetened Condensed Milk
LAFFY TAFFY®
LEAN CUISINE®
LEAN POCKETS® brand sandwiches
LIBBY'S® Pumpkin
LIK-M-AID® Fun Dip

MAGGI® Seasonings
MIGHTY DOG® dog food
MILO® powdered beverage & ready-to-drink
MINOR'S®
MODULEN® IBD
MOIST & MEATY®

NAN® Infant Formula
NERDS®
NESCAFÉ®
NESCAFÉ® Café con Leche
NESCAFÉ® CLASICO™ (soluble coffees from Mexico)
NESCAFÉ® ICE JAVA®
NESQUIK®
NESTEA®
Nestlé Healthcare Nutrition
NESTLÉ ® JUICY JUICE® 100% fruit juices
Nestlé FoodServices
NESTLÉ® ABUELITA®
NESTLÉ® CARNATION® INSTANT BREAKFAST®
NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Malted Milk
NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Milks
NESTLÉ® CRUNCH®
NESTLÉ® dessert toppings
NESTLÉ® European Style™ Desserts
NESTLÉ® Hot Cocoa Mix
NESTLÉ® Infant Formulas
NESTLÉ® MIlk Chocolate
NESTLÉ® NIDO®
NESTLÉ® SIGNATURES TREASURES®
NESTLÉ® SIGNATURES™ TURTLES®
NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Candy Bars
NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Morsels & baking ingredients
NIPS®
NUTREN®
NUTREN® GLYTROL®
NUTREN® PULMONARY (formerly NUTRIVENT®)
NUTREN® RENAL (formerly NUTRIRENAL™)
NUTREN® REPLETE®
NUTRIHEAL™
NUTRIHEP®

OH HENRY!®
OOMPAS®
ORTEGA®

PEPTAMEN®
PERUGINA® Confections
PIXY STIX®
POWERBAR®
PRIA®
PRO PLAN® dog and cat foods
PURINA ONE®
PURINA®
PURINA® ESSENTIALS™ cat treats and dog treats

QUALITY STREET®

RAISINETS®
RENALCAL®
RUNTS®

secondnature®
SNO-CAPS®
SPREE®
STOUFFER'S®
SWEETARTS®

T BONZ®
TART 'N TINYS®
TASTER'S CHOICE® instant coffee
TENDER VITTLES®
TIDY CATS®
TRIO®

VETERINARY DIETS™

WHISKER LICKIN'S®
WONKA® products

YESTERDAY'S NEWS®

100 GRAND®

- Make7

[MaineDem]

7. And don't forget the water companies, like Poland Spring, Deer Park, Ozarka...

All their brands are:
Alete, Allstars, Alpo, Arrowhead, Baci, Baeren Marke, Barnmat, Beba, Beneful, Boci, Bona , Børnemad, Buitoni, Butterfinger, Buxton, Cailler, Calcium Plus, Calistoga, Carnation, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Cereal Partners, Chambinho, Chamyto, Chino, Chiquitin, Choco Crossies, Chokito, Coffee-Mate, Contrex, Crunch, Crunch Cereal, Dar Natury, Deer Park, Desayuno Inteligente, Fancy Feast, Felix, FoodServices, Frigor, Frisco, Friskies, Frutips, Fürst Bismarck, Gloria, Go Cat, Gourmet Gold, Harzer Grauhof, Hepar, Herta, HydraOpt, Ice Mountain, Institut de l'eau, Juicy Juice, Kern's, KitKat, LaVie Vietnam, LC1, Lean Cuisine, Levissima, Libby's, Libby's Pumpkin, Lifesavers, Lion, Maggi, Mighty Dog, MilkyBar, Milo, Munch Bunch, My Spring Water, Naleczowianka, Negrita, Nescafe, Nescau, Nespresso, Nesquik, Nestea, Nestl, Nestlé Aquarel, Nestlé Baby, Nestlé Baby Nutrition, Nestlé Babymilk, Nestlé Cereals, Nestlé Cooking, Nestlé Nutrition, Nestlé Toll House, Nestlé Waters, Neston, ONE, Ortega, Ozarka, Panna, Passatempo, Perrier, Perugina, Poland Spring, PowerBar, Pro Plan, Purina, Ricoré, Rowntrees, San Bernado, San Bitter, San Pellegrino, Savory, Schöller, Smarties, Stouffer's, Svensk, Sweetarts, Taster's Choice, Tidy Cats, Turtles, Very Best Baby, Vital Balance, Vitalife, Vittel, Willy Wonka, Winalot, Winiary, Yogurt, Zephyrhills, Zoegas

Damn, I didn't realize San Pelligrino was their's as well.

A good web site on the corporation is http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/rs/profile.cfm?id=269

[TheBaldyMan]

9. I've been boycotting Nestlès for years, sometimes it seems like the own the world.

Not only their own brands but their wholly owned subsidiaries and the companies they are major shareholders have a ridiculous market share.

there is hope as http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1933421,00.html">this story, 'Where Did It All Go Right?' from from The Observer (sister publication of the Guardian) The hippies were right and direct action works.

[malaise]

6. Transnational corporations do not give

a fugg about human beings. It's all about profits.

[lonestarnot]

8. He's just more expired milk to them, only now they can't use him any more.

Disgusting!