Why not boycott Shannon Airport?

by sick of childish tantrums Tue Mar 25, 2003 11:54

I did not agree with the direct action that was organised before as I felt it was playing into the grips of the mainstream media.
But now that people are witnessing first hand what Ireland's support for the war is doing direct action will find support in surprising sectors.
Many people from all corners of this wee country are feeling that all they can do is march and that this is ineffective other then keeping the anti-war position in the media. The time for direct action is now...
With you all the way Eoin

by Andrew Tue Mar 25, 2003 13:24

I don't think this is the way to go. Workers there will rightly see this as an attack on their jobs and while I don't fool myself that they are about to boycott US war planes this is still an argument that might be won. We need ways to get across the idea that defending their jobs does not equal (and is not worth) deaths in Iraq, an all out boycott would be a step back rather then a step forward.

Thats a familar argument. Unlike some I don't think it's a case of giving local workers a veto which is why I support direct action. But I think a boycott would have a minor impact in terms of stopping refueling compared to the major impact it would have in increasing hostility towards the anti-war movement amongst Shannon workers.

by MG Tue Mar 25, 2003 14:09

http://www.live95fm.ie/newsmore.php?id=365

Both junior ministers are said to be "upset and shocked" at the incidents, which is rich considering the undoubted upset and shock caused by last Friday's onslaught on Baghdad.

by Eoin Dubsky Tue Mar 25, 2003 14:38

In the post above, Andrew said: "Workers there will rightly see this as an attack on their jobs and while I don't fool myself that they are about to boycott US war planes this is still an argument that might be won."

Reply:
Firstly, I don't think they would be entirely right to see a boycott of Shannon Airport as an attack on their jobs, in the same way that those who advocated a boycott of ALDI in Dublin weren't trying to put their friends out of work (it was about union recognition I think), the BIG boycott isn't an attack on the jobs of Israeli fruit farm workers, and the boycott of holidays to Burma isn't intended to leave hotel busboys there out of pocket.

A boycott could help workers in Shannon Airport opposed to war make an economics argument for a union ban (on top of the ethical and legal grounds for non-cooperation with armed robbery and killing).

At present there is no obvious economic argument for a union ban on refueling US military flights -- they refuel the aircraft and get paid, that's it. In the current climate of fear in the labour market and in Shannon in particular, I'm not sure that an argument based on morality alone would change the tide. Cooperation with the US military must become such a burden -- on police, the army, politicians, bosses, and workers too -- that non-cooperation becomes the most favoured option.

by ipsiphi Tue Mar 25, 2003 14:57

it is thus on the global boycott and stopage list for Wednesday 26th of March 2003.

and so too is Live 95fm.

by Cian Tue Mar 25, 2003 14:58

A boycott of Shannon airport might be difficult to pull off.

For one thing many of the people who use Shannon are not resident in Ireland but are tourists.

Even if they are sympathetic to their cause when they are booking their flights hundreds of miles away they will not know about the boycott.

Also much of their business in Ireland is as a stopover. Many people will book flights out of Dublin airport, not intentionally placing Shannon in their travel plans, but nonetheless ending up there.

Also I think our message should be that we are for jobs in Shannon, but not jobs directly involved in refuelling U.S. war planes. That means that we support more business at Shannon airport as long as it is civilian and not part of a war machine. A boycott will easily confuse this message.

There is also the consideration of who actually uses Shannon in Ireland. A large amount of its traffic is to the U.S. so its not like a large number of anti war campaigners and supporters even use it.

Finally why don't we all support a boycott of TOP Oil. They are after all the company that actually refuels the planes in Shannon. I think this is more targetted, easier for people to make the link with, but also could be very effective.

by Eoin Tue Mar 25, 2003 15:19

Yeh, TOP oil (see http://www.top.ie/set_avi.htm) are up to their chins in it at Shannon Airport.

by bozo Tue Mar 25, 2003 15:23

forget top oil, the huge corporations from the usa that are based here are the weak link. The unions should be pressurised and shamed to shut down Shannon though.

by Captain Boycott Rides Again? Tue Mar 25, 2003 21:43

'Managed Genocide' - Jeez this is an old and familiar argument in a new yet ancient context.

Captain Boycott rides again?

http://www.inac.org/irishhistory/1845.php