Vestas Workers to Be Evicted Tomorrow

Today the court has warned the remaining six workers occupying Vestas wind turbine facility on the Isle of Wight that they will be evicted by court bailiffs tomorrow. The bailiffs dropped by the wind plant today and taped a notice to the building informing the workers that they should vacate the premises within 24 hours, and that officials will be arriving tomorrow around midday to secure the premises. 

Vestas was granted the repossession order by Newport County court on Tuesday, more than two weeks after workers first locked themselves inside the facility in protest of last months scheduled closure which was to result in the loss of over 630 jobs. The original number of workers was 25, however today over two weeks later just six workers remain locked inside.

The sit-in has gained worldwide attention from environmental activist groups and union workers for the wind industry who have set up camps outside the wind turbine factory in support of the workers inside. 

As the eviction notice was served today, the police presence on site was increased as a precaution, although as of now the relationship between police and protesters has remained cordial.

The workers inside the factory have asked all the groups outside to gather tomorrow morning in support of their cause as they exit the building. Workers who had been involved in the protest but left earlier in the week or last week have travelled to London, where a protest is scheduled to be held outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Phil Thornhill, of the Campaign Against Climate Change, said: “Just when we need a huge expansion in renewable energy they are closing down the largest wind turbine factory in the UK. The government has spent billions bailing out the banks, and £2.3bn in loan guarantees to support the UK car industry. They can and should step in to save the infrastructure we are really going to need to prevent a climate catastrophe.”

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