Interview this evening with Robin outside Vestas, Newport, Isle of Wight, about the blockade today, Friday 4 September, that has prevented Vestas taking the remaining blades from the factory.
What happened today?
I would say 25-30 supporters from the mainland were present at the Marine Gate for the blockade today; plus the hard core of the workers. A few other Islanders – certainly a few people walking their dogs along the cycle path took an interest! We were gathered from about 7am. We made a new banner which says ‘Whose factory?’ and hung it up by the jetty.
A lot of the camp that was on the roundabout has moved to the Marine Gate which is where the blades go out from the factory to the River Medina. At our meeting in the evening we decided to maintain both camps, on the roundabout in front of the factory and at the back by the Marine Gate.
Four blades were removed by barge from the factory at Venture Quays, East Cowes, possibly a mould for making blades. We have definitely stopped them from removing the blades from Newport, because they had sent two barges, one can take about 6 blades, the other 4 blades. Our thinking is that, seeing the size of the mobilisation today, Vestas decided not to come to Newport.
Today we tested our systems for getting information and on today’s evidence that was spot on.
There was a good meeting this evening. We discussed moving the whole camp to the Marine Gate but decided to keep a presence at both, partly for symbolic value. The main kitchen is at the front, but we will soon have a stove for the Marine Gate camp too.
What are the next steps in the campaign?
We are writing a press release this evening announcing the launch proper of the blockade, which began today and showed it is effective. We are calling on people to come and join the blockade. If anyone wants to confirm that they are coming, they could text one of us: for now, try Ed 07775 763750 or Bob 07843 945005.
These were not special tides that made Vestas act today. Basically, the barges could come any day, twice a day. It has been normal practice in the past for the barges to come and collect blades during the night. The only things that can affect whether the barges come are our presence and the wind – they don’t move the blades when it’s windy.
Was there more security about today?
There were noticeably more police, including a police patrol boat on the River Medina, with a big camera. Having said that, we were clearly, 10-15 of us, milling about by the jetty – which I think is out of bounds – and no one did anything.
Gurit [a neighbouring factory] security were complaining to the police about us using a hole in the fence near their factory as a shortcut to the Marine Gate, but the police are not taking their side in that.
Has the normal routine been disrupted today by the need to blockade?
No, the picketing of the workers going in to clean up the factory went ahead this morning; and the activities that the workers do on Saturdays around the Isle of Wight are continuing. Tomorrow they are taking part in the Ryde Carnival in the evening.
We have plans ready for when the barges do come. I won’t say anything about that, but only say that we are satisfied that our plans are in place.
Save Vestas jobs! Save the planet! 
I don’t know how many blades are in the factory, but presumably your blockade will only mean they will never be used to power wind turbines – Vestas will probably just chop them up and they’ll go to landfill. I suppose it’s just a funny old world.
By: Rob on 5 September 2009
at 8:29 pm
There are more stories going on here than just what happens to 9 blades. There are so many stories involved in this situation:
– whose blades? who built them? who will benefit from the profits they make?
– how green can a society ever be that regularly throws workers on the scrapheap because markets go through boom and bust, or because private companies won’t enter a market until the profit rate is high enough?
– whose government is it? can’t the democratically elected government (I know there are some problems with our democracy as well) intervene to get the renewables industry going, or must we wait for the private companies?
– how green is a company that treats its workers as disposable commodities, keeps them in the dark about its true intentions, refuses to allow workers to develop representative bodies to defend them?
I could go on and on, but just concentrating on one aspect of this situation doesn’t tell us much. Right now, if I were to sum up, I’d say the blockade is about power and who decides: there are two logics going on in the Vestas dispute – that of ordinary working class people and that of big business. Which side are you on?
This comment doesn’t begin to exhaust the issue but I hope it makes a start.
By: vickim57 on 6 September 2009
at 4:44 pm
Actually, there are 2 stories going on here; one is an industrial dispute and most of your comments relate to that aspect. The other story is about efforts to prevent climate change, and my comment relates to that. As far as climate change is concerned I’m on the side of Vestas – as a company they are actually doing something constructive to reduce carbon emissions. If we wait until we have reformed our political and economic systems before tackling climate change it will be too late.
By: Rob on 6 September 2009
at 7:54 pm
[…] deterred them once before – we need to do it again! Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Summer into autumn – […]
By: URGENT: Attempt to move blades likely in next days at Vestas, Newport, Isle of Wight « Save Vestas jobs! Save the planet! on 21 September 2009
at 3:24 pm