Vestas Factory Occupation Attacked By Police

Workers at the Vestas Wind Turbine factory on the Isle of Wight have occupied their factory. They are fighting for 600 jobs and the future of the planet. They need help now.

The Green Party Trade Union Group have issued the following statement:

Workers at the Vestas wind turbine blade plant on the Isle of Wight have occupied their factory in Newport in an attempt to prevent its closure, which was scheduled for the end of this month. The Green Party Trade Union Group sends its full support to them.

Job losses in a recession are tragic and counterproductive, serving only to worsen it by throwing people out of work.

This particular closure would be doubly damaging because it would remove one of the few capacities Britain has to build the new, environmentally friendly technologies urgently needed to construct the infrastructure that could help to counteract the effects of climate change.

Importing turbine blades is a false solution because their transport would increase the environmental cost of wind turbines. Furthermore the skills and knowledge of the Vestas workers could be dispersed and lost just when we need them most.

If the government allows this closure, its commitment to dealing with climate change will seem a total sham.

How can it let Vestas close when it can afford;

¤ The Afghan war effort

¤ The bail out of banks including continuing taxpayers’ support for excessive fatcat salaries..

¤ The renewal of the Trident missile system

¤ New nuclear power stations

¤ And a ridiculous scheme of paying MP’s expenses ?

The Green Party Trade Union Group urges everyone who can to support the Vestas occupation and put pressure on government to actually enact a strategy of creating an environmentally friendly infrastructure for Britain and new jobs for its peoples.

P.Murry GPTU secretary

The Vestas campaign blog is here.

It seems that the Police have gone in and taken a hard line. It would not surprise me if this were not on orders (direct or not) from "on high" as the powers that be are clearly rattled by the increasing willingness of workers and communities whose livelihoods or services are under threat to use occupation and other radical tactics.