Does anybody out there understand the concept and implications of a boycott? It's one of the most powerful, efficacious, but potentially destructive things that can happen in the private sector.

Now, in appropriate situations (self-imposed union boycotts, state-wide UFW actions, etc.) the act of boycott can make all the difference. When it is treated as a tactical aspect of a solidarity campaign (which some of your international boycotts seem to propose), it has to be handled with extreme care. Same with domestic labor situations.

When we're discussing boycotts of companies with dubious political or financial connections (i.e. Kraft, Dominos, etc.), you ABSOLUTELY have to weigh the potential destructive backlash in local economy and labor markets (as well as national ones -- do you really want Kraft to close down a plant?) before we impose our morals on the job security of others.

This is a vital concern when dealing with Nike, Gap, and other apparel manufacturers. Unless a boycott is specifically requested by members of a union or organized workers in say, Salvador, IT IS NOT OUR BUSINESS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THESE PEOPLE HAVE JOBS!! Do you know what the common practice is when some corporation like Target receives consumer pressure regarding conditions in a particular factory/chain? It simply terminates the contract (or shuts down the factory). It's cost-effective for them, and it buys them points in the public eye. But those people need their jobs. Unless they are in a strike situation (or some analogous one) and they're REQUESTING solidarity action from the U.S. consumer, it's not our job to decide.

What we do is try to change the conditions in those places, be they political/economic/racial, giving the MNC an easy way out is the worst thing we can do. We encountered this problem with divestiture, and we're encountering it again with sweatshops and political prisoners.

Pressure companies to urge their licensees to recognize a union. Pressure them to adopt a code of conduct and join a independent monitoring group.

Knee-jerk boycotts are naive, rash and destructive.

Just two pennies...


Alek
____________________________
"All I want is the truth,
just gimme some truth."