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!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Protests and action to "Save Vestas"; (the factory, not the bastard company); are still ongoing. Vestas will attempt to ship the final blades and equipment from the factory this afternoon. The Bladerunner barge is due to arrive at the riverside with high tide at 2pm. The police have threatened to arrest journalists at the Isle of Wight.

Anonymous said...

Robin; camping outside factory; said: "The police have pretty much turned ugly now there are fewer people around and less attention. They've started picking people off. We had an arrest last night and they've bailed away four activists. They come four times during the night at the moment. We could do with more people here."
Dissident Island, 21/9/09