Our final report from the Tribunal in Bern, Switerland, on Nestle's activities in Colombia is now available at  http://www.babymilkaction.org/ram/broadcasts.html#colombia1005 More details below.

This includes the text of the Tribunal's ruling after considering evidence from the Colombian Food Workers' Union (Sinaltrainal) and a written submission from Nestle. The panel took evidence in four areas: murders and disappearances, permanent layoffs and anti-trade union policies, out of date products and pollution. It concluded that it:

"can only condemn Nestlé¹s actions in Columbia and believes that these are unacceptable from a multinational which claims to be worthy of the good reputation and trust it receives from its clients. Nestlé has overstepped all tolerable limits whether through its failings in terms of the quality of its products or the protection of the environment, or through its policies of dismantling the working conditions or its implacable hostility towards trade unions, or even through its aggressive methods in terms of economic policies."

On our website you can hear an audio report of the Tribunal, including interviews with representatives of :

* Multiwatch : a coalition of Swiss trade unions, development and church organisations (including Bread for All, the Swiss equivalent of Christian Aid) and political parties.

* Sinaltrainal : the union's lawyer, who presented evidence and called witnesses, gives an overview of the issues and details of three of the 10 Nestle trade unionists who have been murdered. The most recent assassination took place this year.

* The Tribunal panel : Brazilian Bishop, Dom Tomás Balduino, denounces Nestle's 'criminal connivance' with paramilitaries and government authorities in targetting trade unionists in Colombia.

The Tribunal Panel:

"calls upon all international jurist organisations, churches, trade union organisations and NGOs to denounce Nestlé¹s actions and those of other multinationals that flout human rights and expose their employees to violence or dire poverty."

We ask you to heed this call and raise these issues with your friends and colleagues, with your trade union or student union, by writing to the media and by supporting and promoting the Nestle boycott where you work and shop.

Take action

While the boycott focuses on Nestle's baby food marketing malpractice, it is important to raise awareness of these other issues, both in solidarity with people suffering as a result of Nestle's practices in other countries and because Nestle is currently attempting to portray itself as a caring, ethical company behind its new Fairtrade coffee (there are separate interviews on our website giving views from Colombia and the Philippines - were a trade union leader was assassinated on 22 September 2005 - about Nestle's Fairtrade product).

Write to your MP

We are launching a campaign in our forthcoming newsletter asking supporters to write to their MPs calling on them to support the boycott and to work for regulations at national and international level to hold corporations to account. You can find your MPs contact details at  http://www.theyworkforyou.com/

A tribunal on Nestlé baby food marketing

Baby Milk Action has been calling on Nestlé to attend a Tribunal on its baby food marketing for some time.

While Nestlé has so far refused, it appears that pressure from the boycott is prompting a re-think. The Student Union at the University of East Anglia is holding a referendum on renewing its long-standing support for the boycott. While Nestlé refused to debate with Baby Milk Action this year, its Senior Policy Advisor, Beverly Mirando, did give an interview to the student radio station saying Nestle is now prepared to consider taking part. While this may have been a cynical attempt to undermine support for the boycott, Baby Milk Action is writing to Nestlé welcoming this promise to try to get the tribunal off the ground. Its purpose is to evaluate who is telling the truth about Nestlé's baby food marketing. For further information and to call for Nestlé to participate, see  http://www.babymilkaction.org/boycott/prmachine05.html#tribunal