Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

More than 75 people protested outside Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta on Monday, reiterating their call for the company to do more for African workers fighting AIDS and to help stop violence at bottling plants in Colombia.

The protesters—representing about 10 groups, including the AFL-CIO, Act Up Atlanta, Concerned Black Clergy and Amnesty International -- claim Coke does not provide access to HIV/AIDS treatment to the 100,000 Africans its bottlers employ at various plants that Coke has contracts with.

Coke said the plants, which the company does not own, are developing AIDS strategies and that the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation and UNAIDS are working on initiatives for AIDS education, prevention and treatment programs in Africa.

Protesters also said Coke refuses to take responsibility for violence against union workers at Colombian bottling plants with which Coke has contracts.

"They are telling people they have a code of conduct that they enforce, but that they can't stop the violence," said United Steel Workers of America member Daniel Kovalik.

Rodrigo Calderon, a spokesman for Coke's Latin America operations, said the company is doing everything it can to protect workers, including providing special transportation to plants, relocating workers to other bottling facilities and reporting violence to police.

"Violence has been growing in Colombia," Calderon said. "It is a very dangerous place to work and run a business."