Raytheon to close Derry Plant

by eh man - none Wed Jan 13, 2010 12:09

Congratulations to the men and women who have been occupying the site in Derry off and on for years. At last their stand against the slaughter of innocents has paid off. Now stand back and watch SF and the SDLP claim that they were against the siting of Raytheon in Derry as a reward for the Peace Process from the start, though they were falling over each other to welcome them and were ready to believe Raytheon's propaganda about non-military software, even when ex-employees and the Belfast Telegraph exposed their lies.
Victory is sweet!

by Derry delighted Wed Jan 13, 2010 13:31

There is an article about this great victory of running Raytheon out of Derry by Goretti Horgan (one of the 9 women currently on trial) on the SWP website
http://www.swp.ie/index.php?page=624&dept=News&title=Ra...Derry.

It quotes Eamonn McCann saying: “the day will come when people will look at the arms trade which deals in mass murder and ask how did we allow it to operate like this in human misery – just as we now ask how people tolerated the slave trade. We hope our actions in Derry have brought that day a little closer”.

by Unite member Wed Jan 13, 2010 13:37

Thats great news lets celebrate the job losses. What next SWP are you going to start campaigning for the closure of other arms manufacturers? What about Shorts? Plenty of trade unionists working there who would be delighted to see you turn up and campaign for them to lose their jobs!

by Jim Wed Jan 13, 2010 15:23

I think you’ll find that Raytheon don’t give a monkeys about the DAWC, the peace campaigns or public or Council opinion.
The real reason for Raytheon abandoning their city office is not exactly a hard one to figure out when you apply a little knowledge and a bit of logic. Raytheon were awarded a ten year deal from invest NI in 2000 (lease paid plus training and other incentives as was discovered in the Invest NI records a few years ago). Now in 2010 Raytheon announce withdrawing from Derry - i.e. the grants have run out.
Its just another case of a big company coming here and getting big cash incentives, using local labour to make a mint and then buggering off when the free money runs out.

by Pat Mustard Wed Jan 13, 2010 15:38

Pity about the seven job losses alright, what a tragedy... my heart bleeds for them

by DAWC - DAWC Wed Jan 13, 2010 17:37

It was just days after last year's occupation that Raytheon first said it was going to move offices to somewhere outside Derry city. DAWC assured them that, while it would be inconvenient, we did have transport. Also after last year's occupation, the City Council wrote them a mealy-mouthed letter saying that it was 'disappointed' that Raytheon may be making software for missiles in the Derry plant and would they please stop doing it and only do 'civilian' work. Freedom of Information documents received since by the "Londonderry Sentinel" found that it was a combination of the hassle of the protests and the fact that the City Council was not as supportive as it had been that caused Raytheon to take the decision to go.

So, Jim, it WAS the campaign.....

by Chewy Lewie Wed Jan 13, 2010 19:18

Aye what are you talkin about Jim?
Raytheon wouldne do a thing like that!
Take grants and then shut up shop and move somewhere else when they run out.
Sure no company has ever done that in poor wee Norn Iron before!
What were ye thinkin of man!

by Citizen Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:49

This is standard corporate behaviour. It's not as if Raytheon, a company who makes things for the purposes of killing people, would have any scruples about taking free money then leaving when it runs out. If it was still as lucrative then they would stay and just ignore any harmless protests or letters.

by Roger - Fans of the Taliban Thu Jan 14, 2010 12:25

The company in charge of building a £12bn defence academy has received a £29m contract from the Ministry of Defence for early work on the project. The Defence Technical College at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan stands to create more than 2,000 jobs and provide specialist military training. Last week the UK government announced a final decision on the project would be delayed until the summer. Local MP John Smith said the government remained committed to the ac...ademy. The Metrix consortium [which includes Raytheon if the website is anything to go by] will build and run the new academy, has said the "early works" contract would ready the site for full-scale construction once the final go-ahead was given. The first stage will involve moving an RAF training school to a temporary location to allow demolition of existing buildings and preparatory works. Vale of Glamorgan council granted planning permission for the project in September, but the final decision rests with the UK government. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8452167.stm

I can't see the Derry Wans travelling much further (Donegal.. maybe Shannon or a Galway SWP Marxism event?) certainly not to the Vale of Glanmorgan where this College is being built, in saying that, RAF Aldergroves renaming with the BA's Joint Helicopter Command and continued British soverignty over our air space wouldn't even bring them to the South of County Derry! The odd press release from Patsy McGlone the new SDLP deputy with designs on Mid Ulster seems to suffice except for Breandán Mac Cionnaith recently there are no local action or protest grouping against this occupation and training for imperial adventure: http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest060110.html

“The people of Derry are to be commended for their steadfast opposition to Raytheon’s presence in their city – many were arrested and dragged before the courts for their refusal to ignore mass murderers in their midst. This moral courage was in stark contrast to the complicity of local politicians, who either openly supported or privately connived at Raytheon’s operations. While the closure of the Derry Raytheon plant will probably not affect the overall operations of the company, it is a small victory and offers Ireland the opportunity to remove all war mongers from the country and present a truly humane image on the international stage.” - Daithí Mac An Mháistír http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest130110.html

by Ciaron - Catholic Worker/Ploughshares Thu Jan 14, 2010 15:01 Brisbane, Australia

Congratulations and many thanx to all the groups and individuals who have worked to remove Raytheon from Derry. Solidarity with those who remain before the courts for NVDA at Raytheon.

Your actions there have inspired NVDA in Brisbane,Australia for the removal of Raytheon that has set up shop here in the last couple of years
http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2008/09/24/merchant-...eath/

by two old sweats Fri Jan 15, 2010 13:24

"NVDA deserves no glory." From the Suffragettes to Gandhi, from Gandhi to anti-apartheid, from anti-apartheid to Greenham Common, credit for any success has always been stripped from grassroot volunteer activists and awarded instead (by the system's sycophants) to the cynical calculations of financiers and professional politicos. Our experience of five decades has made it very clear to us that without the grassroot activism, it would never ever have occurred to money or government to let women have the vote, India have independence, Black Africans have equal rights, common land in Berkshire be made free of cruise missiles and returned to the people. Congratulations to the Derry Occupiers, you did win a victory over Raytheon and no-one can take it from you. Next target: US warplanes at Shannon -- fire 'em out!

by Maura Harrington - S2S; Davitt League Fri Jan 15, 2010 16:11

Congratulations to all involved in ridding Derry of Raytheon's obnoxious presence and shame on those who were willing to bury whatever conscience they possessed for the sake of a few jobs.

The struggle of Shell to Sea continues at local, national and international levels and will continue until the worms are released from all their cans and wriggle through all state and regulatory channels which sought to impose the proposed Corrib project on a people who have more self respect and respect for Place than the sycophants with whom they were forced to engage.

Nothing has changed since Douglass wrote his autobiography, published 1845, and nothing will while the power elites of the day get away with their unaccountable arrogance.

Once again, well done to all in Derry. The quote below says it all for all struggles!

''This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress."
— Frederick Douglass

by DAWC Member Tue Jan 19, 2010 01:53

“The people of Derry are to be commended for their steadfast opposition to Raytheon’s presence in their city – many were arrested and dragged before the courts for their refusal to ignore mass murderers in their midst. This moral courage was in stark contrast to the complicity of local politicians, who either openly supported or privately connived at Raytheon’s operations.

I actually resent that comment, especially the "many were arrested" part. Total crap. The majority of people in Derry showed their true colours when they couldn't have been arsed to do anything about Raytheon's presence and went to all the trouble of tolerating it without uttering a word of protest. The credit belongs to a stark few - the DAWC and the FEIC, a small group of people who can see the worl for what it really is and who defied all odds, scorn and ridicule and who rose above it and who kept the faith for the whole of Raytheon's presence. To this small number of people we owe our thanks and our respect. To the politicians and to 99% of the people in Derry who couldn't give a toss (unless it affects their pockets) you should be ashamed for turning your backs and letting others fight for you.
Well in the end we didn't need you. Thanks for nothing. But for those few that did - thanks!

by unite member Tue Jan 19, 2010 15:55

Thales Air Defence in Belfast which used to be called Shorts Missile Systems manufactures a wide variety of weapons. For example they produce the Blowpipe, Javelin, Hellfire and Starstreak. They have been partners in weapons projects with Raytheon in the past.
There are approximately 600 people employed in the plant in East Belfast a majority of them are members of Unite.
Raytheon in Derry was small fry compared to the Thales facility in Belfast were weapons are actually manufactured, no weapons were made in Derry. Is there a reason why the SWP or there associates in the BAWC have not organised a campaign to get Thales closed down?

by Eleanor Sat Mar 20, 2010 16:14

Drop the Charges!

Trail Date set for May 4th Belfast.

Show Your Support!

Resisting War Crimes is Not a Crime!

by Mark - Justice Not Terror Coalition Wed May 05, 2010 01:08

Unite Member... some stuff has happened at Thales... see here

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75707

Roll on til slán abhaile thales too!

Good luck to the Raytheon 14 women!

by Jamie Wed May 05, 2010 21:55

"Member... some stuff has happened at Thales... see here"
Woopee. Once small action 4 years ago.
There were protests outside Raytheon at least once a month.
The BAWC should hang their heads in shame for their lack of inretvention.
The DAWC puts them to shame.