‘Just to keep people updated at 5.30 am (approx) this morning a climate camp comrade was illegally detained by the police under Breach of the peace for attempting to deliver food to workers in occupation. The situation is make or break. Without food the occupation is in jeopardy.The police are illegally starving out the workers. Please notify as many contacts you may have with the media asap.’
Just had this, please get down to the Isle of Wight and support the occupation.
And let the media know,
Usual story those fighting climate change get attacked. Sellout politicians pretend to fight climate change and get big fat salaries.
Carbon trading makes the bankers rich but does nothing to reduce emissions.
Those doing the real work like the indigenous at Bagua or the Vestas employees are attacked,
swp member on said:
Can’t we get someone really high profile – Galloway, Monbiot, some pop star, I don’t care – to turn up with food and seek to gain entry?
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RobM on said:
Thats a good idea. I suggest Richard Branson organise an airlift to break the blockade and Joanna Lumley could parachute from his balloon…
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swp member on said:
The point is if the detention is illegal, maybe they’ll back off iif its someone high profile (and then maybe they won’t but its worth a try). This occupation could get starved out from what this post says.
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RobM on said:
Sorry for being flippant- the point is well made.
I suggest we try to get some celebs to issue messages of support. Ken Loach may be up for that as might Mark Steel. Does anyone have a hotline to Mark Thomas- I am sure he would be up for doing a stunt around this.
But, beyond the usual suspects, I wonder who else we might be able to pull?
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Neil on said:
Press release from the RMT supporting the dispute:
TRANSPORT UNION RMT today pledged full support to the workers occupying the Vestas wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight and confirmed that RMT general secretary Bob Crow will be making a solidarity visit to the occupation at 6pm tomorrow evening (Thursday 23rd July).
The Vestas factory is the only unit in England manufacturing wind turbines. The Dutch company which owns it are trying to close the factory down with the loss of 625 jobs blaming the British government’s lack of commitment to renewable energy. The company is reported to have made profits of $56 million in the first quarter of this year alone – a rise of 70% on last year.
The factory has been under workers occupation since Tuesday. Communication lines into the factory have been cut and deliveries of food and water have been blockaded by private security guards. This morning, those involved in the occupation have been threatened with summary dismissal.
Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said today:
“Nothing underlines the attack on job and communities that has been unleashed in the UK by greedy bosses and incompetent politicians better than the occupation at Vestas.
“Here you have over 600 skilled workers in the only wind turbine factory in England, delivering sustainable and green energy for the future, threatened with the dole because of a row between the company and the government.
“We know from workplace reports that this company is aggressively anti-union and RMT salutes the courage of those who have taken the brave decision to occupy the factory. They deserve the full support of the whole trade union movement.
“There’s a simple solution to this dispute. The government should nationalise the factory, protect the jobs and show that they are walking the talk when it come to green and renewable energy.”
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Derek Wall on said:
and if you can’t make it to the Isle of Wight, join us on the demo in London at 6pm
Department for Energy and Climate Change, No 3 Whitehall Place (off Whitehall, Charing Cross tube)
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oldrightie on said:
Labour, don’t you just love ‘em. A fair and reasonable council tax scheme, mayhem on the streets. Screw workers at a wind turbine factory, arrest people for feeding them and sit hard on the story. Magic. The Labor Party is dead, you need an honest out and out Socialist Party. You won’t get to govern but you may get to stay honest.
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Sean on said:
didnt we try a new workers party
socialist alliance
this tread is about postive support from a broad base for these workers in struggle
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oldrightie on said:
I am more than happy to support these workers. I hope they bring this Government down.
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Anon on said:
i’ve heard that the police have arrested an activist trying to deliver food to the occupiers. You can ring the Isle of Wight police and make a complaint on the number 0845 045 45 45 which puts you through to the local police station
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