Six Workers sacked for playing rugby! where is the outrage?

by Shannon worker Sat Jan 28, 2006 18:29

Tim just to let you know it was not a Ryanair pilot that reported the ground crew to the tower. It was the Captain of an International carrier.

by deep breathe Sat Jan 28, 2006 18:37

now tell us it all again.
What did the men do?
Where did the rugby ball come into it?
how does health and safety come into it?
what was recorded on CCTV?

I'm not being arsey, its just I don't really understand what happened.

by james - workshy socialite party Sat Jan 28, 2006 18:38

Jaysus lads you cant be doin dat!pure blackgaurdery out messin round with a rugby ball near operational aircraft, still at least i know now where all my souveneir frisbees have gone over the years, bleedin messers.

by pat c Sat Jan 28, 2006 18:40

thats the only appropriate description for people who would kick a ball around in an area where aircraft were taxi-ing. the ball (according to reports in todays IT) went close to another jet and could have been sucked into an engine, causing a fire / explosion.

no union should support this sort of behaviour.

by observer2 Sat Jan 28, 2006 20:48

That a rugby ball is considered such a threat to safety at SNN given the fact that 330,000 armed US troops have passed through the place!

Even stranger is the T.U call for national support. Are these the same trades unionists who have been assisting the U.S war on "terror"?

by cynical Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:36

try to gather all the facts before labelling anyone an idiot.. the ball wasnt being kicked aound,, it was thrown, it came within 150 feet of an aircraft ..
none of the a./c had to break. total overreaction as usual..
its bad enough cos servisair couldnt handle the work as it was.. with six less 'workers' they will be livig up to their nickname circusAir

by A10 Sun Jan 29, 2006 15:08

Because one of them was a Young Munster Rugger bugger?But sure you cant expect intelligence from anyone who plays rugby.None is required first off.So it amazes me that anyone would employ sub intelligent troglodytes anywhere near somthing as dangerous as an aircraft in the first place.
An airport air ramp is no place to be messing about anyway.

by pat c Sun Jan 29, 2006 15:51

do you have\ any idea how \fast planes can move when they arte taxi-ing? 150 feet is very very close. these people were morons, deserved to be sacked and it would take someone who is particularly intellectually challenged to defend them. how could it maske a difference whether they were throwing or kicking the ball on an active tarmac? in either case it was criminal irresponsibility.

this has nothing to do with us planes at shannon . raise that on another thread if you wish.

this is about basic safety and common sense, something which those workers lacke

i hope the HSA or IAA decided to take criminal action against these dumb-dumbs.

by lisa O'Donovan Sun Jan 29, 2006 23:39

I think its an outrage they were sacked and what people are saying about them on here.A10 rugby players arent stupid.You obviously have never played as its one of the most skillful sports you can play and requires a very sharp mind. My brother is a doctor in the mater and is playing first team with landsdowne and takes it very seriously.
They werent even given any sort of warning about their behaviour,they were just fired on the spot.Its a disgrace considering the amount of people who operate heavy machinery when their hungover most days of the week and we turn a blind eye to it.But if 6lads are just messing around with a rugby ball the day after munsters win they are branded 'idiots'. One of the guys is a friend of my sisters and they said they werent anywhere need the planes-like 6 poeple would endager their lives like that-he said it was just an easy excuse to sack them.

by Edward Horgan - PANA Peace and Neutrality Alliance Mon Jan 30, 2006 01:19

The people of Shannon and the workers at Shannon are being blamed for complicity in the Killings and torture in Iraq, because of the decisions and actions of the Irish Government.

The actions of the Shannon airport authorities in sacking these workers for a minor breach of safety, while the same management have knowlingly allowed plane-loads of Patriot missiles to land at Shannon, as well as thousands of tons of high-explosive munitions some of which included depleted Uranium is mindbogling.
It is time for the people of Shannon and the workers at Shannon to think for themselves and take appropriate action.
An information meeting is being held Tonight, Monday 30 January at 7 pm in the Oakwood Arms at Shannon.
While this meeting is mainly to inform Shannon people of the implications of US military use of Shannon, we welcome all members of the public, and we will also welcome your opinions, critical or otherwise.
This is an opportunity to inform yourself and inform others of your opinions on various matters at Shannon including the dismissal of these workers.
It is the management at Shannon that should be dismissed for gross endangerment of workers at Shannon airport, at Shannon Industrial estate and at Shannon town.

Details of public meeting below,
but additional time will be allowed for general discussion and expression of views.
Edward Horgan

Press Release

Torture and Killing:
Iraq and the Shannon Connection

An ex-US Marine will give a first-hand account of his time in Iraq, including how his Platoon killed over 30 innocent Iraqis.
at a public meeting in Shannon on Monday.
The talk, title "Torture and Killing : Iraq and the Shannon Connection" will take place in the Oakwood Arms Hotel in Shannon, at 7pm, Monday January 30th.

The meeting will also feature two local peace activists, Ed Horgan, a retired Irish Army Commandant, and Tim Hourigan, who monitors US military use of Shannon. The various speakers will discuss how Shannon Airport, is a major hub for CIA torture jets, US military personnel and cargo, while Mr. Massey will give personal accounts of his time as a platoon sergeant in Kuwait and Iraq.
Mr. Massey is in Ireland as part of a short round of anti-war talks. He was in Dublin last October to testify in a court case. Under oath, he told the judge and jury, that his Marines were told to consider all Iraqis as potential terrorists, to shhot first and ask later, and that as a result of these Rules of Engagement, his platoon killed over thirty innocent civilians. Mr. Massey told the court that the 3rd Battallion 7th Marines regularly used Shannon Airport as a transit point, and that he would categorise it as a military supply and logistics port for transporting US Marines and their equipment.
Ed Horgan, spent 20 years in the Irish Army, serving at home, and abroad on UN peacekeeping missions, including the Middle East.
In 2003, he returned his medals in protest at the US military use of Shannon to attack Iraq. Mr Horgan said that "US military use of Shannon is the most shameful act by Ireland since the foundation of the State". Along with fellow speaker Tim Hourigan, Mr. Horgan has helpd to record US military use of Shannon, and has testified to the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. Hourigan will also talk about his investigations of CIA use of Shannon, and how the government is turning a blind eye to torture.
All members of the public are encouraged to attend and give their opinions on the use of Shannon for war.
Contact :

Ed Horgan 085-1026631

Tim Hourigan 087-9777703

Oakwood Arms Shannon

Monday 30th January 2006

All welcome.

by pat c Mon Jan 30, 2006 14:05

you dont have to be anywhere near a moving jet to cause it danger. their activity is moronic, its the sort of actions which deserves dismissal. an airport taxi-ing area\is the not a \place to play rugby. no adult would do so. i can only presume those who did had a juvenile mindset or were intellectually challenged. an object coming within 150 ft of a moving jet is considered a near-miss by the IAA. this incident will have been reported and the IAA may decide to bring criminal charges against the 6.

again, this\has nothing to do with us military planes\ at shannon. this is about basic safety. please do not mix the 2 up. this was not a minor breach of safety. i agree the us planes pose a safety risk but lets discuss that elsewhere.

by Gay Geori Mon Jan 30, 2006 17:38 gaygeori at graffiti dot net

Right. This is an issue of basic safety. It's completelty irrelevant that the US is cycling troops thru Shannon en route to/from Iraq or that "Extraordinary Rendition" flights are passing through the same location. I'm sure if one of of these idiots was injured by a jet they'd be the FIRST to sue the airport with Trade Union backing. They deserved to be fired.

At best, Ed Horgan is confused, at worst, this is a cynical use of a public safety issue for his political agenda. He's hijacking a completelty different issue to promote a meeting and his own cause. If there was no War in Iraq etc, would he protesting about this issue of public safety? No. Would be mention it , if say, it happened at KNock? Me bollix.

by A10 Tue Jan 31, 2006 00:31

I had the misfortune of having to attend a rugby mad school where I was forced to play this cretinous game.I found no joy in throwing myself in a mucky field in the middle of winter,in clothes totally unsuited to the task,for the glory of the school or some other such crap.I am glad I dossed off and outright refused to play it in the end.I still have my cranium intact and no artrithis in my knesse ,as most of my former class mates now have.
I also had the misfortune of having one of Munsters greats in my class,much known in later rugby life for his stamping incidents.He was a bully and a neanderthal then as he is now.Please tell me what your brother studies in or is a doctor in the Mater ,so if I ever end up there I will make sure to avoid him like the plauge.If I am concious at the time that is.No offence to your bro,but I wouldnt trust a rugger bugger anywhere near me with medical qualifications,plus going by the intelligence of rugger players fecking around near aircraft with a rugger ball,I would be very alarmed to let one near my body with any medical equipment.

by Shannon Worker Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:31

Lisa just to let you know the 6 workers were not fired on the spot they were suspended pending a review, after safety officers reviewed the incident they were then subsequently fired. I know some of the guys that were fired and dont get me wrong i do feel sorry for them but what they did was silly, as anybody who plays rugby knows it is very hard to judge the bounce of a rugby ball, all it would have taken was a gust of wind to blow the ball in front of an aircraft, than the incident could have been a lot more serious.

by Ri Raa Tue Jan 31, 2006 17:48

Just to let everyone know the real story regarding this incident . . .

The SNN airport authority released a statement in the local paper stating NO complaint was recieved by them regarding this incident. The ATC tower has NO record of any complaint from any aircraft.

The Ryan Air pilot in question and his first officer have both stated they did not report this incident and have called for these remarks to be removed . The Ryan air flight was not taxing by as is commonly misreported by the media. Once again the media have sensationalised a situation and it has escalated out of all proportion.

The Rugby balls fell from the hold of the Ryan air as the hold door was being opened . They were loose loaded and not in any passenger bag. The flight was on stand , spooled down, chocked and being offloaded at the time.

There is no report of ANY aircraft having to brake or slow down .

The area is which the "game" was "played" was at least 200 yds from any redline denoting a live taxiway area . The ball did not cross this red line nor did it at any time go any where near it. The CCTV coverage cannot show that the ball crosses the line at any stage.

All of these workers had exemplary previous work records with Servisair.

It is VERY strongly felt by the workers at Servisair SNN that these fellow workers are being made scapegoats due to the amount of coverage Servisair SNN have recieved in the media in the last number of months.

by anon Tue Jan 31, 2006 18:21

What media coverage has Servisair being getting in the last couple of months.

by Curious Tue Jan 31, 2006 19:21

Your comment might be more believeable if you posted a link to this local paper or supplied a copy of the SNN statement. The main media have reported that a ball went within 150 feet of a moving plane. No one has contradicted this. If you believe what you say then you should bring this statement to the attention of the Irish Times and Irish Independent.

by Ri Raa Tue Jan 31, 2006 21:10

Quotation from the SNN airport Authority is in the Limerick Leader newspaper dated Sat 28th Jan 2006.

Unfortunately I cannot post a link just yet as the Limerick Leader site have not updated their online archives beyond 14th jan at present.

As soon as they update I will post a link .

The quotation is in an article written by Pat Flynn on page 12 and reads as follows .

"A spokesperson for the Shannon airport authority said this Wednesday that air traffic control had recieved no reports of this nature from a pilot,though he accepted that the incident had taken place"

Last November two Servisair employees caused thousands of Euros worth of damage to a Kalitta Air 747 freighter when they attempted to tow the aircraft off stand with an airbridge attached. This was widely reported in the media as was an incident when a Star air B767 was towed off line onto a grass verge.

by Curious Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:22

What you quote there in no way backs up your assertions. Its says that they accept an incident took place. Why are you defending the indefensible? Even if they were throwing the ball within a area where Jets did not taxi, the ball still went outside that area and as another poster, a Shannon worker, has observed, a gust of wind could have brought it closer to a Jet.

by Ri Raa Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:24

I'm not here to enter any debates or arguments with you or anyone about this. Just putting across some FACTS.

I'm not saying the incident never happened . I'm saying the SNN airport authority or ATC tower never recieved a complaint from any pilot.

The Ball never crossed on to or ever came near a live taxiway. The CCTV coverage shows this.

The media reports are widely wrong and sensationalised.

These are all facts.

by Curious Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:27

But all of the reports in the media say that the ball came within 50 metres of a moving Jet. This is a notifiable incident under various Irish and EU acts. You have produced nothing to say this is not the case. Why would the Irish Times lie about this? They are hardly on a vendetta against the 6 workers involved.

by Ri Raa Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:44

I'm not saying the Irish Times lied about it.

What I'm saying is the Media are misinformed.

There are no witness statements and no CCTV footage showing the ball passing this close to any aircraft.

Do you really believe everything you read in the papers ??

by Curious Wed Feb 01, 2006 13:03

I will believe a signed article in the IT before I believe an anonymous comment on Indymedia. You have provided no evidence to back up your claims. Another anonymous contributor here who claims he works at Shannon says the incident took place. Why should we believe you over him?

by rooster Thu Feb 02, 2006 00:12

Just putting across some FACTS.

I'm not saying the incident never happened . I'm saying the SNN airport authority or ATC tower never recieved a complaint from any pilot.

The Ball never crossed on to or ever came near a live taxiway. The CCTV coverage shows this.

The media reports are widely wrong and sensationalised.

These are all facts.

1 The tower or airport authority does not have to recieve a complaint from a pilot before an employer can take action against employees for endangering aircraft or passengers.
2 How can the CCTV prove that the ball never got near taxiways?
3 How are the media reports wrong, you can't say these are facts and the reports are wrong without giving examples!

by Tim Hourigan Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:51

I like the new feature on indymedia that lets you see other recent articles by the same author.
That's how I spotted this article.
Just to avoid confusion the author of this article "Tim" is not me.
I didn't make any comment about this incident on indymedia. I do remember thinking... "oh, that was pretty dumb... they'll get in deep $h^t for that" and they did.

by The real curious Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:15

I have to admit that I know no more (or less!) than most people who have voiced their opinions on this but it is clear that certain people have simply reacted to the fact that it was a rugby ball in play. This obviously set off a chain reaction, viz; Rugby, Clongowes, McDowell, bourgeoisie, bad, bad, bad news. Chain of thought ends. Said workers are either declasse bourgeois degenerates or lumpen elements. DO NOT SUPPORT!

Oh, and then there was the chap who was crap at rugby and hates it. Seems to have issues. Shower rooms?, small genetilia? suppressed homeroticism? Get over it!

If, as seems was the case, these chaps were throwing a ball to one another (Pat C obviously has notion that they were kicking it!) then it hardly constitutes a huge danger to planes a good length of a pitch away from where they were. Seems rather heavy handed to me.

PS. Am GAA player myself with little interest in rugby but bemused by the reaction. Wonder what reaction would have been had they been playing a good proletarian game like soccer?

by Bleedin hell Thu Mar 16, 2006 21:22

I don't believe it Pat C thinks that workers who play rugby should be sacked! What next if you have a double barrelled name should you be sacked? Or maybe if your name is Charles or something else not so Irish.........in your world poor RBB wouldn't stand a chance! Bless us and save us.

by A10 Fri Mar 17, 2006 01:07

No real curious,I dont have those issues with what your ametuer shrink playing at came up with.Being forced to play a stupid game by a bunch of moronic teachers with another bunch of morons would put anyone off it.
BTW I dont think much of soccer or GAA either.
Dunno which I hate more rugger buggers or muck savages of the GAA.Do you need to be missing most of your teeth to play hurling???
What is it with ball sports in this country ,the republic of DUMBFUCKISTAN????
Everyone is obsessed on either a bunch of millionares kicking a piece of leather around a field being cheered on by a million morons,or a bunch of upper class goons throwing them in the muck after an oval shaped ball,or a bunch of muck savages,laying into each other with sticks on a sunday?

Still,I suppose anything more challanging to the Irish intellect than the soccer,rugby or GAA scores would cause a national brain melt down.

by pat c Fri Mar 17, 2006 17:52

no my trolling friend i dont think that workers who play rugby should be sacked. i do however think that workers who play cricket, hurling, hockey, shinty, lacrosse or anyother game in an airport working area close to moving airplanes should be sacked. such stupiodity is putting other workers lives at risk. dont rehash the nonsense about it going nowhere near a plane, nobody believes you. these numbskulls do not have the support of their union.

as for the real curious seeing as you are a gaa fan i reckon you are unaware that the ball is\ kicked in rugby games at times.