07/10/2009

Union Calls For International Campaign Against Coca Cola

One of Ireland's largest unions has called for a boycott of Coca Cola products after the company sacked workers on the picket line.

Delegates at a Siptu conference in Tralee today unanimously passed the emergency motion condemning the decision by Coca Cola HBC Ireland this morning.

Siptu said the drinks company had rejected Labour Court proposals to end the seven week old dispute over outsourcing by sacking its workers on the picket line.

The union then called for a campaign against the company and its products in Ireland and internationally.

SIPTU General President Jack O'Connor said what was happening at Coca Cola was "symptomatic of the drive in our society to solve the problems caused by gross mismanagement of the economy entirely at the expense of working people".

He said long running disputes at companies such as Coca Cola, Marine Terminals in Dublin, Our Lady's Manor Nursing Home in the Midlands and Mr Binman in Munster were only possible because of the failure of the Government to outlaw practices by employers such as the use of replacement labour.

Coca Cola have been criticised over a number of labour disputes and practices around the world, while a National Union of Students led boycott of their products has been in operation in Ireland, Europe and America since 2005 over humanitarian concerns against the company.

(DW/BMcC)

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