Vestas win court case

I have just heard from Green Left colleagues who are outside the courthouse in Newport that Vestas have won the repossession order against the occupying workers. There are already rumours that bailiffs are gathering. Andy Hewett and Pete Murry from the Green Party Trade Union Group and Green Left have been down there for the last two days supporting the occupation.

Judging by events in Dublin where Thomas Cook travel shops were raided this morning by police at 5am after the High Court had issued an order, and where workers,union officials and a pregnant woman were arrested, similar events may now occur in the Isle of Wight. The Dublin occupiers, who are protesting about appalling redundancy payments after Thomas Cook have operated in the city for 125 years and the CEO has just been paid a bonus of £7 million, will now appear this afternoon in the High Court charged with contempt. It has also been reported than another Vestas factory in Cowes, also in the Isle of Wight, has been occupied.

The following statement was issued by a number of trade union leaders. It is now essential that the TUC brings the government to task over this issue.

We are seeking the urgent intervention of environment secretary Ed Miliband to save the Vestas wind turbine factory (Police asked to ensure the Vestas protesters receive enough food, 1 August). We know he is committed to promoting green energy, but people will find it difficult to understand that just as the government has recently set out its low-carbon transition plans to tackle climate change, England’s only large wind turbine manufacturing plant is scheduled to close. Ed Miliband has said he is committed to consulting people up until the Copenhagen climate change summit in December and that, in this context, “it isn’t just about world leaders, but about real people affected by huge changes who need to make their voices heard”. We would now urge him to listen to the voices of the Vestas workers. Here are 625 people who not only want to protect their jobs, but also protect England’s wind-power industry.

The loss of jobs at Vestas will not only have a devastating impact on the Isle of Wight, even more so at a time of recession, it will also mean an almost criminal loss of expertise and jobs that are vital to fighting climate change. We believe that with the political will, even at this late stage, there is still time to take positive action to explore all the options that are available to save the production of wind turbines at the site and secure jobs for the future.

Chris Baugh Deputy general secretary, PCS
Christine Blower General secretary, NUT
Brian Caton General secretary, POA
Bob Crow General secretary, RMT
Jeremy Dear General secretary, NUJ
Gerry Doherty General secretary, TSSA
Sally Hunt General secretary, UCU
Chris Kitchen General secretary, NUM
Michael Leahy General secretary, Community
Lesley Mercer Director of employment relations, CSP
Bob Monks General secretary, URTU
Gerry Morrissey General secretary, Bectu
John Smith General secretary, Musicians Union
Matt Wrack General secretary, FBU
Charles Ward General secretary, AEP
David Cockroft General secretary, ITF