27 November 2003 Edition

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Irish Coca-Cola bottling workers say yes to Colombia solidarity, no to boycott

Last week, An Phoblacht published an interview with Colombian trade union activist Luis Eduardo García, calling for people and organisations to join the boycott against Coca-Cola products pioneered in Ireland by the Latin America Solidarity Centre. Since then, students in UCD have voted to maintain their boycott of Coca-Cola. Here, trade union representatives of Coca-Cola workers in Ireland respond and explain why they believe the boycott tactic is divisive and counterproductive.

Irish Coca-Cola bottling workers say yes to Colombia solidarity, no to boycott

We read the interview given to An Phoblacht by Luis Eduardo García, the Sinantrainal Colombian trade unionist who visited Ireland a couple of weeks ago. As a result of his comments we would like to put our position on the record.

We met with Luis on Wednesday 12 November and expressed our solidarity with him and all Colombian trade unionists fighting to achieve the right to organise in conditions free from intimidation and violence.

Misrepresented

We explained to Luis we were dismayed that UCD students' union leaders actively attempted to prevent us from putting our point of view (see attached leaflet) on the boycott proposal. We also explained that we were angered by the misrepresentations of our positions by activists in the student body. Neither had the Latin America Solidarity Centre (LASC) contacted us as Irish Coca-Cola bottling workers.

Since first hearing of the claims of intimidation and violence against Sinantrainal, we have done the following, assisted by our local SIPTU branch:

• Raised the issues in September (when we were made aware of the allegations by international trade union contacts) with the European Works Council of our international franchise bottling company.

• Contacted the International Union of Food workers, (to which SIPTU, Amicus, TGWU, anof the boycott call. We are not alone in our position. Our elected Regional Executive, representing over 70,000 workers in Dublin along with national SIPTU & ICTU officers, share the same concerns. All of this, however, has not made us turn our backs away from the need for solidarity with Colombian workers.

We ask you to print all of this and our leaflet that sets out our position on the boycott.

Paddy Cahill, Chairperson Plant Committee

Tommy Grant, Senior Shop Steward Production

Gerry Mahony, Shop Steward Production

On behalf of the Plant Committee, representing Distribution, Warehouse, Clerical and Production employees.

Coca-Cola Hellenic Franchise Bottling Company, Dublin.

Text of SIPTU workers' leaflet

Workers Say Lift the Boycott

Workers in the Coca-Cola Franchise Bottling Plant in Dublin are not supporting the tactic of boycott of Irish produced Coca-Cola. We have expressed concerns about the grievances of trade unionists in Colombia and also lobbied the Coca-Cola Corporation's international management.

We respect your interest in human rights and injustice around the world.

Trade unions and human rights have to be strengthened and protected in Colombia, a country with the worst human rights record in the world. We know that trade unionists have lost their liberty and sometimes their lives - that teachers, journalists, factory workers have all been targeted by the right wing paramilitaries. We are informed that this boycott seeks to extract reparations for the particular suffered by SINALTRAINAL union.

We all agree multinational companies operating in Colombia must play their part in protecting their workers and in seeking government action against the executioners. We have urged greater action on this by Coca Cola. We will play our part along with the International Union of Foodworkers in pursuing justice for Coca Cola trade union members.

We are aware that new agreements on security for workers have been negotiated by some unions in Coca Cola bottling plants in Colombia.

We believe a boycott is an inappropriate response because all the Coca Cola products sold in Ireland are produced in Ireland. A significant drop in consumption, due to a boycott, would lead to a loss of jobs for our members.

While we fully support the demand to safeguard workers' rights in Colombia, we believe a boycott of Coca Cola products in Ireland is a Divisive way to try to make progress on this.

ISSUED BY SIPTU MEMBERS IN COCA COLA HELLENIC FRANCHISE BOTTLING COMPANY DUBLIN


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland