FIGHTING FOR GREEN JOBS AT VESTAS

I n July a group of workers at Vestas Wind Turbines in Newport on the Isle of Wight took the courageous decision to move into the factory buildings and begin an occupation against the closure of their workplace. As a result they were catapulted into the national news headlines and which would see their campaign against job closures move from a local to a global fight back. Vestas had begun moves to close their manufacturing capacity back in April, some of the workforce had contacted RMT over the summer and the union had begun recruiting into its offshore energy section. Vestas workers marched with RMT contingent at Tolpuddle the weekend before the occupation kicked off. As the occupation began on the evening of the July 20, RMT moved additional resources and a permanent presence outside the factory gates and, working with climate campaigners, families, friends and other trade unionists, began to build the support and publicity networks that would sustain the workers on the inside. By the end of the week, the Vestas occupation was front page news. RMT general secretary Bob Crow addressed a mass rally and the fight was on to stop Vestas and their private security guards from starving the workers into submission. Climate Change secretary Ed Milliband was dragged into the row as the hypocrisy of the government’s public position on green jobs and renewable energy, while England’s only wind turbine factory is set up for closure, was laid bare. A first attempt by the company to take re-possession of the factory failed in the County Court due to some sterling work by the RMT’s legal team. The following week the company were successful and the final group of workers left the building in some style, and on their own terms, 19 days after the occupation began. In the meantime, a group of supporters flying RMT flags had taken over the roof of the nearby Cowes Vestas property where they stuck it out in appalling conditions right through Cowes week, only agreeing to come down on August 14. Behind the scenes RMT mobilised 16 union leaders to publicly back the campaign as well as securing backing from the TUC for the fight for the 625 green jobs that faced the axe. A meeting with government minister Joan Ruddock revealed that Vestas had turned down every approach from the government, including the offer of a cash buy out and reinvestment, which could have saved the factory. The company’s argument that there is no demand for turbines in the UK was exposed as nonsense by their own trade association who confirmed that 2700 turbines will be needed by 2012 and Government figures putting the figure at 10,000 by 2020. It also emerged that the company had pulled a similar stunt in Kintyre in Scotland earlier this year where a Scottish Parliament intervention saved a threatened Vestas factory with the creation of dozens of new jobs. Despite the end of the occupation, the fight for Vestas and the future of wind turbine manufacture in the UK goes on. RMT continues to fight for these members and their industry and will take their case to the TUC congress and into every other available forum. This has been one hell of a campaign so far and has nailed the lie that workers, and predominantly young workers, are not prepared to join trade unions and are not prepared to fight. This battle goes on. RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: september 2009 :: RMTnews 17 Worked with branches on the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth and with the local labour movement and galvanised wider solidarity and support from the trade union and green movement nationally and internationally. The TUC also responded positively in support of the campaign. Obtained an injunction to delay moves by the company to evict our members who were occupying the factory Ensured members occupying the factory received adequate food, water and supplies, including lobbying the government and successfully servicing legal papers on the police to ensure that the security blockade was lifted to allow the provision of food and water Provided support for all members during the statutory redundancy consultation The union is affiliated to the campaign against climate change and supported a number of initiatives including demonstrations outside the Department for Climate Change Members of the RMT Parliamentary Group supported the campaign and John McDonnell tabled Early Day Motion 1925 The union lobbied government officials, wrote to and met Secretary of State for Climate Change Ed Miliband MP and the Minister of State for Climate Change Joan Ruddock MP, making the case for keeping the factory open. During the occupation the union issued numerous press releases and received excellent and widespread media coverage which significantly raised the profile of the campaign. RMT continues to support members through circulating a hardship fund appeal established by RMT Newport Isle of Wight 2 branch and our sacked members have been invited to address numerous solidarity meetings. FIGHTING FOR GREEN JOBS AT VESTAS Geoff Martin reports on the struggle to keep the turbine factory on the Isle of Wight owned by Vestas open RMT ACTIVITY IN SUPPORT OF VESTAS WORKERS: