Hi All,

Well, a person could make a pretty good argument that the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of Coca-Cola is itself unethical, just like cigarettes.   The only thing to be said in favor of soda pop is that the business employs a lot of people, just as that's the only thing to be said in favor of cigarettes. 

Best regards,

Dan Warner


Prof. Daniel M. Warner
Dept. of Accounting (Business Legal Studies)
MS 9071, Parks Hall 401
Western Washington University
516 High St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
360 650-3390
________________________________________
From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marsha Hass [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 1:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: use as ethics in class?

Coke Cancels Health Insurance of Striking Workers; Workers Bring ERISA Suit

[http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfae553ef0133f36b28f8970b-120wi]<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfae553ef0133f36b28f8970b-pi> About 500 Coca-Cola employees went on strike last Monday over charges of employee surveillance, intimidation, and bad faith bargaining. A day later, Coke responded by cutting off the strikers' health care coverage.  Coke's rationale, I assume, is that "benefits, like salary, are what you get for working, and if you're not working, we don't have to pay you."  The strikers, however, are calling foul:

"My wife had a kidney transplant two years ago. When Coke cancelled our health care, they cut off her anti-rejection medication.  This shows me that Coke doesn't care about its employees," said Bill Mauhl, a 34-year Coke employee, who works in the company's production facility in Bellevue.

Five of the strikers have filed a class-action ERISA suit against Coke.

Readers are invited to weigh in with comments.

Hat tip: Carol Furnish.  For more, see Law.com<http://legalblogwatch.typepad.com/legal_blog_watch/2010/08/striking-coke-workers-sue-over-health-insurance-cancellation.html> and the Teamsters press release<http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/employees-file-suit-against-coke-for-cancelling-their-health-care-101715938.html>.

rb

August 30, 2010 in Labor and Employment News<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/labor_and_employment_news/>, Labor Law<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/labor_law/>, Pension and Benefits<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/pension_and_benefits/> | Permalink<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2010/08/coke-cancels-health-insurance-of-striking-workers-workers-bring-erisa-suit.html> | Comments (0)<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2010/08/coke-cancels-health-insurance-of-striking-workers-workers-bring-erisa-suit.html#comments> | TrackBack (0)<http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2010/08/coke-cancels-health-insurance-of-striking-workers-workers-bring-erisa-suit.html#trackback>