Say No to SodaStream - Say Yes! to Human Rights

The purpose of this petition is to ask Winnipeg retailers to end their relationships with SodaStream (which makes home soda makers) and its distributor EcoStream.

We are asking that Winnipeg and Manitoba retailers immediately stop carrying this product. SodaStream conducts the majority of its manufacturing illegally, in violation of international law. SodaStream tries to circumvent international laws by falsely labelling its products "Made in Israel" with no indication they are manufactured illegally in Occupied Territory, in the West Bank. SodaStream has therefore been blatantly dishonest with consumers about where their soda makers are manufactured.

SodaStream's central manufacturing plant is in Mishor Adumin Industrial Park in the West Bank. Mishor Adumin is located in Ma'ale Adumin, an illegal Israeli residential settlement. Both of these settlements are illegal as they are located on disputed territory in the West Bank and were established after 1967. SodaStream employs 700 labourers, including Palestinians who are at the bottom of the hierarchy in the factory and earn less than half the Israeli minimum wage, although Israeli law requires that companies pay West Bank labourers the Israeli minimum wage.

Workers are also subjected to extreme security checks on the job and risk being fired if they complain about working conditions in the factory. Through its presence in the West Bank, the SodaStream also directly contributes to development of illegal settlements. Furthermore, SodaStream, however, benefits from tax breaks from Israel because they operate in occupied territory. SodaStream has come under fire for its untruthful labelling and in 2010 European Court of Justice found SodaStream guilty of fraud because it falsely labels its products.

Ultimately then, by purchasing SodaStream home soda makers consumers are directly contributing to the development of illegal settlements. In turn, the Palestinians who work for companies such as SodaStream often have no other choice because ongoing settlement development has caused the Palestinian economy to basically disappear from the West Bank.

Checkpoints and roadblocks make it nearly impossible for people to travel to their businesses and farmers cannot access their land.There have been many protests against SodaStream across Europe but the company now thinks that North American consumers are apathetic to such issues. It is especially troubling that the national distributor for SodaStream in Canada is a local woman from Winnipeg, Marta Mikita-Wilson. She travelled to Israel with the sole purpose to obtain the national distribution rights for this illegal settlement product. We are committed to human rights and to the dignity of all people before profits and because of that we must say say no to all SodaStream products.

We are therefore asking all Winnipeg retailers cease their business relationships with SodaStream and immediately stop selling these units. SodaStream beverage makers are illegal settlement goods and they should not be sold in Winnipeg, the future home of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Copies of this petition will also be forwarded to Mr. Jim Rondeau, Minister of Consumer Affairs (MB) and Mr. Peter Bjornson, Mnister of Trade (MB) as well as the federal Trade Minister Mr. Ed Fast.

Please visit the following links for information on the economic impact of SodaStream and other "Occupation Industries" on the Palestinian people.

http://goo.gl/fcu2y

http://goo.gl/pRkKI

Dear activist

13 health issues

Sources

Retailers who have been contacted