Six Workers Remain On At Isle of Wight Facility

Six workers today at Vestas wind facility on the Isle of Wight asked for a national day of action in support of their opposition to the factory closing imminently. The closure of the facility, Britain’s only large wind turbine facility, will result in the loss of 630 jobs. 

Yesterday a court judge ordered the protesters removed from the factory so that Vestas could regain control of their property and proceed with the closure. The men have occupied the wind turbine plant for almost two weeks, and have said that they will remain onsite until bailiffs come to physically remove them. As a result six of the remaining workers inside the plant offices are calling people to gather and show support for their fight on Wednesday August 12th. The workers have asked that participants join a rally, hang a banner, or simply cease work for an hour or so.

The other protesters who were also locked inside the wind turbine factory left of their own volition yesterday, but continue to protest with environmental groups at a second Vestas location in Newport. 

“You’ve got to ration all the tobacco, all the food, you’ve got to wash stuff in the sinks. It’s really tough. Being away from your loved ones, not being able to do normal stuff,” said Chris Ash, one of the jilted employees who left the sight yesterday after the court order was announced.

Vestas UK representatives said that the country is in no hurry to remove the workers from the building, and that it could be a couple of days before bailiffs are sent out to clear the premises. On Tuesday, when Vestas won the repossession order four of the men left voluntarily, while the other six decided to stay on until the end. Five other activists are staging a sit-in on the roof of Vestas’ plant in East Cowes in support of the six workers at the Isle of Wight facility.

Special thanks to guardian.co.uk for the above quote for more information please view the article on their website.