Tuesday 29 September 2009

No Nukes

Demonstrate at Devonport - No to the Nuclear Dump
Assemble: 12 noon, Plymouth City Centre, Guildhall, Armada Way. 2pm, Devonport Park.
Rally: 3pm, Devonport nuclear dockyards main entrance, Camel's Gate
http://www.nuclearfreecoalition.info/

The Sizewell Five have been found not guilty of aggravated trespass after a blockade in 2008 of the Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk. They intended to use the defence that they were acting to prevent breaches of health and safety legislation resulting from the continued operation of the nuclear power plant in Suffolk. They planned to call at least one expert witness, Dr Ian Fairlie, an independent nuclear consultant, but the judge had refused to allow this on the first day of trial, despite earlier pre-trial reviews.

Whittonstall Open Cast Action Group

UK Coal intend to apply for planning permission to create a huge surface mine to the East of the B6309 between Marley Tiles and the village of Whittonstall.

Public Meeting
3pm Sunday October 4th
Whittonstall Church

Wednesday 23 September 2009

Review: Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air

David Mackay of The Royal Society (bastards) has produced an excellent guide to balancing State energy budgets.
It is online; http://www.withouthotair.com/; and printed as a Creative Common.
It includes The energy cost of “defence”; a rare and important attempt at a fully referenced quantification of military consumption. R&D spending in the military sector is 40 times that spent on renewable energy.
He welcomes new information for future editions. It would be interesting to see consumption plotted against class.

Update
Leaving a pause after publishing this book, the devious ruling class bastard has revealed his true colours; he is a Nuclear lobbyist. The analysis in his book can be used to demonstrate that if society used less energy we could live with 100% renewables, but as a powerful government advisor, Mackay has now come out against these changes and in favour of Nuclear.
This was soon followed by the news that the government intend to leave Nuclear waste in landfills in working class areas, and not in Professor Mackay's garden.

Thursday 10 September 2009

National Grid Workers - Day of Action

Friday 11th September, 12.45

Newcastle Monument

Speakers: Gary Smith - GMB National Secretary, Stephen Byers -MP–TBC, Claire Williams - Unison Convenor, Mick Tuff - Unite Full Time Officer, Mike Jeram - Unison National Officer, Adele Foster - GMB Activist, Hannah Akram - Unite Activist

After the Monument Rally, there is to be light refreshments/buffet, which all are welcome to, at the Newcastle Companions Club, 45 Leazes Park Road, Newcastle, NE1 4PG

Contact Gary Smith 07710 618909 or Joan Anderson 07870 176 732

North East Shop Stewards Network Report

www.nationalgreed.co.uk

Wednesday 2 September 2009

Newcastle Save Vestas


Thursday 17 September
March to government offices, Gallowgate
Assemble Newcastle Civic Centre 4.30

Poster

Workers and supporters at the Vestas wind turbine factory in Newport on the Isle of Wight are attempting to stop the remaining blades being shipped out of the factory.

Judi Bari, one of the organisers of the protest, said: "We feel that it is important to voice our support for the workers who's jobs Vestas are cynically taking away. We are concerned that unemployment is very high on the Isle of Wight and about rumours that powerful interests intend to similarly attack the North East's renewable energy industry. It is also our intention to build a working class movement to resist fossil fuelled industrial capitalism and to create a more economically just and environmentally appropriate society. Everyone who supports the workers action in occupying their workplace at Vestas should join this protest which is part of a national day of action called by the workers themselves."

Update:
Fighting for:
1. Reinstatement of the sacked occupying workers - owed £45,000 redundancy collectively.
1.b) better redundancy for all.
2. Re-opening of the factory. Ideally under worker control, through nationalisation if necessary, bought out by a consortium, or re-opened by Vestas as alternatives.
3. A decent energy strategy from the government and IOW council regarding production of energy through renewables, and production of the renewables kit on the IOW and in the UK. Ed Miliband is soon to meet Vestas management. Don't let either of them get away with rhetoric and PR!