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. Their brave fight in is an example of what workers can do when they get together and take militant action to save jobs and sustainable industries.
We call upon everyone around the country to send whatever support they can to the workers at Vestas. We all have an interest in a sustainable future, and we all have a responsibility to show solidarity to workers in struggle.
We have already reported on the significance of this struggle, both in terms of its concrete objectives, and in terms of how it came about. The occupation has occured against a background of non-unionised workers, and activists from Workers’ Climate Action appear to have made a significant contribution to the organisation so far, including introducing the idea of an occupation.
More news will follow when we have it. A list of resources, events, and things you can to do help follows.
London demonstration called by Campaign Against Climate Change
Wednesday 22nd July , 6.00 pm, Outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change, No 3 Whitehall Place
(off Whitehall, Charing Cross tube)
Families and communities campaign meeting
Wednesday 22nd July, 6.30-8.30pm at the Methodist Church Hall, Quay Street, Newport. We are setting up a campaign for Vestas workers’ families and Isle of Wight residents to show their support for keeping jobs at Vestas. The families and communities campaign will be very important in keeping spirits up through this stressful time. For more details call 07775 763750.
Isle of Wight demonstration
Come to St Thomas Square in Newport at 5:30pm on Friday 24th July where we will be making a very public display of how we feel about the Vestas closures! Come to the Isle of Wight to support the struggle! Ring 07775763750 for more information.
Support the struggle – messages and donations
Send messages of support to: savevestas@googlemail.com
The Vestas Fighting Fund:Cheques Payable to ‘Ryde and East Wight Trades Union’. Send Cheques to: 22 Church Lane, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 2NB
Resources
Occupation blog – http://savevestas.wordpress.com/
Socialist Worker – brief report (has more contact numbers)
the commune 
Maybe worth saying who the ‘revolutionary anti-capitalists’ involved are?
[EDS: look at it now]
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Hi Sacha. If you follow the link in that paragraph, you will see that our previous article does say who they are. I know you’d like every article on the web to mention your organisation at least once, but sometimes other things seem more pressing: in this case, getting the news out, and advertising solidarity events.
In fact, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a report on any other site (except yours, of coures) which explicitly credits the involvement of AWL members, and quotes a member, as our earlier report does (it also links to the AWL site). Check it out.
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