First wind-turbines, now batteries - more jobs under threat

The threat to close the Vestas wind-turbine factory in the Isle of Wight has provoked widespread outrage - how can the government claim a commitment to green jobs while allowing these jobs to go to the wall? Why should we stand by and see these jobs lost when they are essential to countering climate change? Why should the government spend billions of our money bailing out banks and yet do so little to protect manufacturing?

The campaign by Vestas workers and their supporters has been truly inspirational. Whatever the final outcome of this dispute, they have pushed the issues of jobs and the environment far higher up the political agenda than if they had walked away. It looks likely that tomorrow the management will try to evict the occupiers - let's hope that there is enough support to prevent that happening. Either way, this is not an issue that will go away.

In this context, the announcement that Exide intend to close their battery plant in Bolton is even more outrageous. If we are to successfully tackle climate change, the ability to store and move energy will be crucial, so that power can be generated from low-carbon sources and used where it is needed.

Nobody can be left under any illusion that this government has any commitment to protecting manufacturing jobs or the environment. But that doesn't mean they can't be forced to act if the campaigns are strong enough.

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Save Vestas - solidarity needed

The occupation and campaign to save the Vestas wind turbine factory in the Isle of Wight continues. It is vital that the courage of the workers occupying the factory is quickly matched by solidarity from across the trade union and environmental movements.

Given the ease with which the government could use billions of our cash to bail out the city (the very same people who are now baying for public spending cuts to pay for our help), there can be no excuse for government inaction in this case. It's not good enough to privatise the profits and nationalise the debts. We must demand intervention for jobs and the planet, that should be a higher priority than rescuing the financial markets from a self-inflicted disaster.

I was pleased to be able to join the solidarity demonstration outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on Tuesday. More protests and activity is planned all round the country. Make sure you've sent in a message of support, taken a collection etc.

The campaign now has an excellent web site:
http://savevestas.wordpress.com/
It is being updated frequently with reports, plans and ways you can help.

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Vestas - another occupation!

I've just heard that workers at the Vestas wind-turbine factory in the Isle of Wight have gone into occupation against the plan to close the plant and make the workers redundant at the end of the month.

The workers are demanding that Gordon Brown steps in (as if it were a troubled bank) to save the jobs so they can keep making wind turbine blades. If Brown doesn't save these 600 existing "green jobs" he won't have any credibility talking about creating 40,000 new ones.

Apparently there is a large solidarity picket starting outside the factory.

Please send messages of support to savevestas@gmail.com.

After the progress made by occupations at Waterford and Visteon, let's make sure that Vestas workers get the support they need to win.

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Green jobs, nationalisation, education and steel

Given all the government green-wash about climate change, you'd have thought "Green Jobs" ought to be on the increase, not under threat.

It's an absolute scandal that over 600 jobs at the Vestas wind-turbine factory in the Isle of Wight are under threat. If the government can step in to bale out the bankers, why not to save jobs like these?

When we do see government intervention, it always seems to be to nationalise debts and privatise profits. With the recent decision to take the East Coast Mainline back into public ownership, the government made clear it wants to re-privatise it as soon as possible. The way the retreat over Post Office privatisation was announced makes it clear that this is a retreat under pressure, not a change of heart. If we want government action (or inaction) we have to fight for it, not just stuff New Labour's pockets with members' subs.

You can send a message of support to the campaign to save Vestas at savevestas@gmail.com.

In similar vein, you'd have thought that FE education would be expanding in times of recession, but actually cuts are the order of the day. Near me, the UCU union is fighting job cuts at Manchester College and a few of us from work went down to support them when they were on strike on 1st July.



These job cuts have a particular importance for trade unionists, because the college is targeting the UCU branch secretary for compulsory redundancy. There's history here too - Manchester College was formed by the merger of MANCAT and City College and the college Principal, Peter Tavernor came from MANCAT. Under his "leadership" a few years ago, MANCAT decided to close the trade union education department to get rid of several key UCU officers, including the branch secretary. It is a disgrace that he is still in office and pursuing his anti-union agenda despite losing tribunal cases over the previous victimisations.

In manufacturing the job losses continue relentlessly. It's good to see a campaign starting to get underway over the threat to jobs at Corus. There's a demo on Saturday 18th July, assembling at 12:00 at Majuba Road car park in Redcar, with a march setting off at 2pm.

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