Jimmy Airlie
Jimmy Airlie (10 November 1936, Renfrew – 10 March 1997, Erskine) was a leading Scottish trade unionist. While a shop steward, along with Sammy Gilmore, Sammy Barr and Jimmy Reid he was particularly remembered for his role as chairman of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in committee of 1971.
Trade unionism
A former fitter at Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, and was elected to the national executive of the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) in 1983. This was the first time a communist had been elected to the AEU's national executive since the early 1970s.
Described in the Scottish Express - "Jimmy Airlie, the most astute strategist of the lot...the lost leaders of the UCS work-in were men of discipline, depth and dignity. What's more, they won." Paying tribute Tam Dalyell said "For any MP who saw Jimmy Airlie in action with employers who proposed to close a factory in his constituency, he was a marvellous sight in full flow".
Airlie was a great public speaker and effective negotiator. His speech style was described as 'joined-up shouting' - he said that a point made 'wittily and succinctly' was more likely to be understood - he said, 'we all have to die sometime, but in the meantime we don't have to be bored to death'. When asked by the press in 1971 whether the workforce at UCS intended to occupy the shipyard, he replied "We are not a foreign power, we were born in that area and we will work-in. The right to work is our birthright and we won't give it up for any hatchetmen".
Podcasts:
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by Abyssinians
Jah Marley
by: AbyssiniansJah-ah-ah-ah Rastafari
Jah Jah Jah Jah Rastafari
Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley
Never forget your history
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
We won't forget your philosophy
Oh no, oh no
You told us how you shot the sheriff
So that it was self-defense
You said to the woman, no woman no cry
Cause Jah is standing by
You reminded the children that Jah Jah lives
Jah Jah lives within I and I
You said to get up and stand for our rights
And don't give up the fight
We won't give up the fight
Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley
Never forget your history
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
We won't forget your philosophy
Oh no, oh no
(solo)
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
A prophet and a king was he
Proclaiming that men should be free
He told us of wars, rumors of wars
There'll be no peace until there's war
There'll be no peace until we're in war
Said a come a rock, this is Trenchtown rock
Whether you're a big fish, whether you're sprat
Cause everything, oh everything, everything will be alright
Cause everything, oh everything, everything will be alright
Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley
Never forget your history
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
We won't forget your philosophy
Oh no, oh no
Oh no...
Oh no, oh no
Oh no...
Oh no...
Oh no no no no no...
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
(solo)
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
A prophet and a king was he
Proclaiming that men should be free
He told us of wars, rumors of wars
There'll be no peace until there's war
There'll be no peace until we're in war
Said a come a rock, this is Trenchtown rock
Whether you're a big fish, whether you're sprat
Cause everything, oh everything, everything will be alright
Cause everything, oh everything, everything will be alright
Jah Marley, woe-yoe-woe-yoe Jah Marley
Never forget your history
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
We won't forget your philosophy
Oh no, oh no
Oh no...
Oh no, oh no
Oh no...
Oh no...
Oh no no no no no...
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
(Jah Marley, oh-oh-oh Jah Marley)
Jah-ah-ah-ah Rastafari