The Real thing

In February 1984, the owners of a Coca-Cola plant (located about 10 minutes from downtown Guatemala City) informed its workers that, due to bankruptcy, the plant would close the next day. But the 460 workers refused to accept the loss of their jobs and the loss of their union, for which they had fought so hard and which had become one of the strongest unions in Guatemala. So they decided to peacefully occupy the plant until they won their jobs back. THE REAL THING documents this struggle, within the historical context of the Guatemalan trade union movement. The film also shows the union initiated world-wide support for the boycott of Coke, designed to push the company to deal with the workers.