Give Coca-Cola the red card

international | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Tuesday October 31, 2006 19:06 by Lefty Type - Boycott Killer Coke

Colombia Solidarity calls for the GAA to end its sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland has been associated with the International rules series since 1998, in a deal that involves an investment of over €1mn per year. Workers at the bottling plant on the Longmile Road are free from intimidation by right-wing death squads, unlike their Colombian counterparts, 8 of whom have been murdered since 1989, due to union organising activities. Hundreds of other Coke workers have been tortured, kidnapped and/or illegally detained by violent paramilitaries, often working closely with plant managements.

In response to these crimes, SINALTRAINAL; the union representing bottlers in Colombia; has called for an international boycott of all Coca-Cola products. In Ireland the campaign has widespread support, having been kicked into touch by UCDSU 3 years ago, with a number of other colleges and unions subsequently joining the boycott.

Boycott Killer Coke recognises the great progress that has been made in Ireland so far, and thus calls on the GAA to review its sponsorship with Coca-Cola, with a view to ending the current deal. A great deal of publicity and exposure is generated by the International rules series, as is demonstrated by the sell out audiences for this years tests. In the true spirit of fair play, we would call on the GAA to join our boycott.

Members of the Boycott Killer Coke campaign will be leafleting before the game in Croke Park this Sunday, November 5th. Meet at Ulster Bank, opposite the Big Tree pub on Dorset Street at 12.00. For more information, or to get involved with the campaign, check out the following links, or else contact Cian on 086 2866631/Kevin on 087 2255513

http://KillerCoke.bebo.com
http://www.lasc.ie/activities/campaigns/lasc-campaigns/....html
http://www.labour.ie/youth/campaigns/index/200409081251....html
http://www.killercoke.org