Seattle, WA: Attorneys representing 500 striking employees at Coke have filed a class action lawsuit against the Company for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) after Coke canceled the employees' health care. Five plaintiffs were named in the complaint.
ERISA is the federal law that sets minimum standards for health plans in private industry to protect individuals covered under these plans.
"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.
Approximately 500 Coke employees in Western Washington went on strike on Monday over charges of employee surveillance, intimidation and bad faith bargaining.
Contract negotiations between the Union and Coke have been underway since April, but the Company refused to bargain for 10 weeks. The employees' contract expired on May 25, 2010.
