Leeds University movement against Coca-Cola

Despite desperate tactics by company representatives trying to link their Colombian workers to terrorism, Leeds students voted last week that Coca Cola is ‘a highly unethical company responsible for needless suffering worldwide’ and implemented a raft of advisory measures to remove its products.

The motion was passed after a fortnight of campaigning by the Leeds Students Social Forum, a new social group pioneering the revival of the ‘student activist’ stereotype.

Action began on the 3rd of November with a stall in the Union foyer offering information and selling t-shirts, posters and stickers. This helped raise initial awareness of the campaign. Two further stalls followed it on the 11th & 12th November, helping concrete the campaign and increase interest in the LUSF.

On the 16th November, LUSF hosted a debate between Coca-Cola, NUSSL and Colombian Solidarity. Speaking for Coca-Cola were Lauren Branston, UK Communications, and Raphael Fernandez, Public Affairs and Communications Director for Costa Rica. Speaking for Colombia Solidarity was David Rhys-Jones, and Jamie Agombar representing the National Union of Students Services Ltd. (NUSSL).

Coca-Cola traditionally used the simple tactic of denying responsibility for their alleged crimes in Colombia, but reverted to a new tactic of attempting to deligitimize Sinaltrainal and link the trade union with the Colombian guerrillas. Attempts to confuse the crowd by referring to bottling plants other than those in question, and to other trade unions, was of some effect, although David clarified the situation with his indicative closing comments.

NUSSL, the NUS’s trading consortium, referred to their constructive engagement policies with Coca-Cola and other companies, but was unable to answer questions on his own morals, refusing to condone the drinking of Coca-Cola products. After the opportunity to pose questions to the speakers, which included linking Coca-Cola’s actions in India to the violation of UN Millennium Development Goals and NUSSL’s contracts enforcing Coca-Cola’s hegemonic domination of the market place, the majority of the crowd left satisfied that the allegations against Coca-Cola needed to be investigated.

On the 18th of November, students at Leeds University passed a motion with advisory status resolving:

1) To propose a motion to the NUS Annual Conference and the NUSSL Annual Conference that all compulsory contracts be ended and that no further compulsory contracts should be made in future;

2) That an NUS disaffiliation referendum shall be held if NUSSL refuse to end all compulsory contracts;

3) That posters and/or other information are to be displayed next to all Coca-Cola machines and Coca-Cola outlets in the Union explaining why we believe that Coca-Cola is an unethical company;

4) To host a conference for all Student Unions seeking major reform of student representation on a national level, either through working within the NUS or outside of it.

5) That such a Conference should be held before the deadline for motions to the next NUS Annual Conference, and that the Campaigns Committee and/or Union Council should define the precise nature of this Conference;

6) That the Union will continue to critically support NUS unless attempts to end NUSSL compulsory contracts are unsuccessful, or until a general meeting of the student body decides otherwise.

This motion has to be ratified on Monday 29th November by the Union Council, where criticism is expected from the right over the second and fourth proposals. The challenge that remains is to raise awareness of the blatant lack of democracy in the NUS, despite recent attempts at reform.

If students are unable to regain control of the NUS from the hands of NUSSL and its corporate contracts, then students have to seriously consider alternatives to the corporative and undemocratic system they are part of.

UPDATE - motion ratified on 29/11/04