SEATTLE (AP) -- The 500 Coca-Cola employees who went on strike earlier this week have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company after the soda giant canceled their health care coverage.
KOMO News reports that Coca-Cola canceled health care coverage for the workers on Tuesday, one day after they walked off the job.
About 500 Coca-Cola employees went on strike at six locations in Western Washington. Teamsters Local 117 said the company wants to eliminate health care for retirees and hike employees' share of health insurance costs. They filed the lawsuit Friday.
Company spokesman Bob Phillips says the company did not cancel health care coverage out of retaliation, but rather because the striking workers are not eligible for coverage as long as they refuse to work.
The union represents Coke workers in Aberdeen, Bellevue, Bremerton, Fife, Marysville and Tacoma.
