International Union of Socialist Youth Adopt Coke Boycott

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Tuesday February 06, 2007 17:07 by Dermot L - Labour Youth

Largest political youth organisation in the world in call for trade union rights in Colombia

On Saturday February 3rd delegates at the IUSY (International Union of Socialist Youth) World Council held in Cork passed a resolution in support of the Boycott of Coca Cola proposed by Labour Youth in Ireland. The boycott was called for in 2003 by the Colombian Trade Union SINALTRAINAL in response to the murder and intimidation of its members by Colombian paramilitaries with the complicity of the Coca Cola corporation.

Speaking after the resolution was passed Labour Youth Chairperson Patrick Nulty said 'IUSY is the largest youth organisation in the world with members in over 150 countries. Their endorsement of this boycott shows that this campaign is a truly global one'

'The campaign to boycott Coca Cola has received huge support in Ireland. In two of Ireland's major universities Trinity College and UCD students have voted to prohibit the sale of Coca Cola in shops owned by their student unions'.

Nulty continued 'The resolution sends a clear message to Coca Cola that this campaign is going from strength to strength. Their crimes in Colombia are indicative of the exploitation and aggression shown by multinational corporations towards people in the developing world'

'It is our duty to hold these companies to account and to campaign for justice and the rule of law. Their can be no hiding place or excuses for companies who exploit, intimidate and degrade their employees in any part of the world'