The environment

Stuff about nature etc.

Workers' Climate Action at Climate Camp

On 26 August hundreds, more likely thousands, of activists will execute a mass land squat somewhere inside the M25 and set up this year’s Camp for Climate Action. There are four themes for the camp this year: • Education, through a programme of over 100 workshops; • Sustainable Living, demonstrated the physical infrastructure of the camp; • Direct Action, training for and executing the physical obstruction of the processes that drive climate change; • Movement Building. This year’s location was not chosen to target a specific industry or installation (as locations have been for the past three...

Vestas: Organise, debate, unite in action: Building the broader campaign

Chairing a Vestas workers’ rally in Ryde, Isle of Wight, on 15 August, Mike Godley, one of the workers who occupied the Newport factory from 20 July until evicted on 7 August, read out web postings which attacked “outsiders” in the campaign. The postings claimed that socialist and other activists who have come to the Isle of Wight from the mainland had manipulated the workers. To great applause, Mike Godley refuted the attacks. The socialists and environmental activists have been welcome, he said, and they have provided valuable help to a struggle which continues to be the Vestas workers’ own...

Vestas workers and supporters speak out

Interviews with workers and supporters from the struggle against closure of the Vestas wind turbine blade factories on the Isle of Wight. Chris Ash was a worker at the East Cowes Vestas factory, and was one of the occupiers in Newport. He spoke to us in mid-August 2009 The last three weeks have not just changed my views, but changed my life. Before, I was just a normal worker. I came into work, I did the job. I didn't really care what I was building. I got paid and I went home. Now I understand that we're doing something for the future, for our kids and our grandkids. It's going to help change...

Vestas: spread the solidarity!

About 150 Vestas workers and supporters marched through Ryde, Isle of Wight, on 15 August. The demonstration was part of a plan to take the campaign to all parts of the Isle of Wight. Most protest has until recently been concentrated in Newport, the county town of the island and the site of the main Vestas wind turbine blade factory. Next Saturday, 22nd, there will be a demonstration in Sandown. A Vestas workers' Ryde support group, made up of local people, is now being established: for more details, email portsmouth@rmt.org.uk . Chairing the rally at the start of the demonstration, Mike...

Vestas workers and WCA reply to Guardian article: You can't leave saving the environment and jobs to the market

The Guardian newspaper sold a lot of copies on the back of the Vestas dispute, including reaping some sizeable advertising revenue from the Vestas company itself. They didn't print this letter below, from Workers' Climate Action and a number of the workers, some of whom had been involved in the occupation itself. Perhaps if we had some more advertising spend... Dear Editor, Further to your report (“Vestas factory closes despite campaign”), and in spite of the redundancies announced at Vestas, Isle of Wight yesterday, the campaign to save the only major wind turbine blade manufacturer in the UK...

12 August day of action backs Vestas workers

Protests around the country rallied to the Vestas workers on 12 August. The next national day of action is 9 September. Actions in many cities, including an occupation at the offices of the South East England Development Agency organised by Workers' Climate Action, are reported at http://savevestas.wordpress.com . On the Isle of Wight, lunchtime rallies were held in Newport, Ryde, East Cowes, and Sandown, and a 5.30pm demonstration around East Cowes, starting from and finishing at the East Cowes factory where activists are occupying the roof. In Newport and Ryde at least, contact details were...

Vestas workers declared "redundant" from 12 August

Workers at the Vestas wind turbine blade factories on the Isle of Wight have today (12 August) received letters saying that their employment is terminated as from 12 August, and promising them final payments (the remaining wages, redundancy pay, etc.) "within 21 days", i.e. by 2 September. The redundancies were first scheduled for 31 July. Then Vestas bosses rescheduled them for "in the week beginning Monday 10 August". Then, surprisingly, they sent out another later saying that the redundancy date was not yet set, suggesting a further postponement. Then today's letters. The letters put the...

Second day of Vestas solidarity action set for 9 September

Vestas workers have scheduled a second national day of solidarity action for 9 September, to follow up from the first on 12 August. The longer lead time gives us time to work to get trade unions, Trades Councils, campaigning organisations, local Labour Parties, etc. to vote support for the day of action and get together to organise activities. The workers hope to get local solidarity groups organised in the different towns of the Isle of Wight tomorrow, 12 August. In the run-up to 9 September, we should aim to get solidarity groups set up in every city in the country.

Vestas bosses back off again

Bosses at the Vestas wind turbine blade factories in the Isle of Wight have sent out letters to workers saying that the compulsory redundancies there are delayed indefinitely. The redundancies were originally set to take effect, and final "clean-up" operations in the factories to start, from 31 July. During the workers' occupation of the St Cross factory, Vestas sent out letters saying that the process was delayed and they now "hoped" to complete it "in the week beginning Monday 10 August". Vestas have now completed the required third individual interview about redundancy with all the workers...

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