Bristol solidarity with the Vestas occupiers?

bristol | the environment | news report Wednesday July 22, 2009 20:23 by stuffing

workers occupy wind turbine factory: climate change and class struggle

It seems people are needed to show solidarity with the workers on the Isle of Wight who have occupied their factory (the only one in the UK producing wind turbines..) trying to prevent its closure. Getting there doesn't seem too tricky. Anyone up for it?

Below is a repost from the website : http://savevestas.wordpress.com/

It is now vital that the occupiers receive concrete support from organisations and individuals. There has been a picket line 200-strong outside the factory, which has been described as ‘crucial’ to the morale of the occupying workers.

If you would like to join the picket, or the environmental camp reported to have been set up near the gates, or the community campaign being set up on the island to support occupiers and their families, details on travel to the Isle of Wight are at the bottom of this update.

If you cannot make it to the Isle of Wight yourself, try to convince other people who can – support at the factory itself is vital to the moral of the workers who in occupying the factory still have the power to force the government to step in.

Come to the Isle of Wight TODAY to join the community 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.

PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION on Friday

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!

If you cannot make it to the Isle yourself there are also things you can do from home to support the workers:

-Send messages of support to savevestas@googlemail.com – this lets the workers in the factory know that they have the support of people around the country and, hopefully, around the world.

-Donate to 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

(suggest writing in with the cheque that you wish it to go to the Vestas Fighting Fund)

-Bombard Ed Miliband: let the government know the public will not let them wriggle out of their commitment to green energy when they have an opportunity to bail out a green energy company the way they did the Oyal Bank of Scotland.

Doncaster constituency office tel. 01302 875 462

Westminster office tel. 020 7219 4778.

Email: ps.ed.miliband@decc.gsi.gov.uk

- DEMONSTRATE in London (protest 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).

- Ring up the police to complain about the infringement of civil liberties in the handling of the Vestas occupation, the office involved is number 3606, and the officer in charge appears to be number 3115.

GETTING TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT – PRACTICAL INFO:

If you want to go to the Isle of Wight and join the campaign there, as many activists from around the country have already done:

National express coaches go London to Southampton every hour, with funfares from £5 booking online.
Megabus coaches go London to Southampton at 0839, 1039, 1239. 1439, 1600 and 2139, with prices from £6 (the 1600 ones tend to be the cheapest).

Both arrive at the National Express station on Harbour Parade in Southampton, about ten minutes walk from the Isle of Wight ferry terminal (the Red Funnel terminal). To get to the terminal:

1. Head south on Harbour Parade
Go through 1 roundabout

2. Turn left at A3057/W Quay Rd
Continue to follow A3057
Go through 1 roundabout

3. Turn right at Bugle St
Destination will be on the left

Red funnel ferries cost £7 at the desk, and from £4 booking in advance online. When you arrive on the Island, take the chain ferry from East Cowes to Cowes, then the No. 1 bus to Newport from the stop on Newport Rd. To join up with one of the existing support networks on the island contact Ed Maltby on 07775 763 750.

For more information about the campaign on the Island and what you can do, email edward.maltby@googlemail.com or pat.rolfe64@googlemail.com

NOTE: It would be helpful if other networks on the island could comment on here giving contact details – it’s easier for people to get involved with an existing effort than just to go over by themselves not knowing what they can offer.