Just had this news via the Green Party Trade Union Group. PCS is one of the best unions on these issues and Chris Baugh spoke last Friday at the Vestas support meeting in ULU where I also spoke. He is now en route to the island. Vestas workers need all the support we can give them.
28 July 2009
PCS Assistant General Secretary Chris Baugh is today visiting the Isle of Wight where he will meet members in government offices as part of a campaign to defend jobs on the island.
To show PCS support for renewable energy and green jobs,
Chris will also be visiting the Vestas wind turbine plant on the island in Newport, which is facing closure at the end of the week with the loss of 600 jobs.
Commenting on the planned closure of the Vestas plants, Chris Baugh said: “PCS members’ jobs in government offices on the Isle of Wight are under threat too, so we are showing solidarity with the Vestas workers and actively supporting their campaign to save their jobs.“The government has just announced plans to create 400,000 green jobs over the next five years and a huge expansion of renewable energy. Yet it seems unwilling to step in to save 600 jobs at Vestas, the only wind turbine plant in England. We are calling on the government to intervene to save jobs on the Isle of Wight.“We are also encouraging our members and branches to support the workers at Vestas by sending messages of solidarity and support.”
Notes for editors1. Vestas offices in Newport have been occupied by some of the workers since Monday 20 July in a fight to save jobs at the plants which are due to close at the end of this week.2. The action has attracted support from trade unionists - including support nationally from PCS and RMT - and green groups such as Greenpeace. Messages of support have also been flowing in from around the world, helping to boost the morale of the workers occupying the Vestas offices. 3. Vestas is applying for a possession order to end the occupation - the case will be heard at Newport County Court on Wednesday 29 July.4. Vestas says it is closing the plants because there is lack of demand in the UK for the type of onshore wind turbine blades they make and it is cheaper to produce them in the US where there is a market for them.5.
More information about the campaign to save the Vestas plants is at http://savevestas.wordpress.com/
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