To ensure the safety of workers, our bottling partners – through both collective bargaining agreements with unions and their own guidelines – provide a number of security safeguards for employees.

Benefits contained in Collective Bargaining Agreements

Home transportation – Transportation is provided to all employees to and from their homes in all of the bottling plants.

House loans – Loans are made available to all employees for new housing or home improvements (including security devices).

Paid leaves - Union employees with security difficulties are provided time off from their jobs with pay. The administration of this time is at the unions' discretion.

Unpaid leaves – Unpaid leaves ranging from one month to six months are available to employees with security concerns.  These leaves can be extended up to an additional six months, allowing an employee to leave the workplace until security conditions have improved.

Transfers – Upon request, union employees are offered a transfer to other locations when security conditions jeopardize their safety.

Shift Changes – Employees with security concerns can change their shifts to avoid risks of night travel and to alter regular schedules for security purposes.

Additional protection measures provided by Colombian bottling partners

Loans for home improvements – When employees have security concerns or risks that can be eliminated or minimized by improving their home security, extra loans are provided.

Loans for improvement of union facilities – Bottlers have granted loans to unions to improve security on their premises.

Security training – To create a greater awareness of the need to exercise care and to train employees in the management of high-risk situations and avoidance of self-generated risks, security training is periodically provided to all employees.

Job changes – Upon request, union members with positions that require them to be outside in the marketplace have been transferred to jobs inside the plants to reduce their exposure to security risks.

Communications support - Cellular phones are provided and paid for to improve union officials’ communications and security.

Government relations – Bottling partners have assisted and accompanied union officers in addressing security issues with the Colombian government, especially to obtain special protection granted by a program handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the aid of the U.S. Government.

Plant security – Plant security and perimeter security have been improved to guarantee the safety of all employees and visitors inside the premises.

Transportation – In addition to company transportation, union officers have special transportation to and from their workplaces.

Colombia: Key Facts
Colombia: An Executive Summary
Colombia: Facts Sheet
Colombia: Court Rulings
Colombia: Q & A
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