‘We Are Staying Till Our Demands Are Met’

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‘It was a really good march on Saturday,’ occupying Vestas worker Chris Ash told News Line yesterday.

Workers have been occupying to stop the closure of the Vestas Isle of Wight wind turbine factory since 20th July.

‘He called for nationalisation. We definitely want the factory nationalised.

‘Now we are looking forward to the court case on Tuesday at 10am at Newport Magistrates Court.

‘Morale is high in the occupation.

‘We are going to stay until our demands are met.’

Steve Stotesbury, who has been organising the protests outside the factory, told News Line: ‘Saturday’s march was a show of strength for our boys inside and to the government, that this is a factory worth saving.

‘Councillor Rob Windsor from Coventry called for government intervention.’

The factory was due to close on Friday but is now set to shut on 10 August.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said on Friday: ‘Even at this late stage we are calling on Vestas to halt its closure plan and think again.

‘Business, unions and government must get around the table and make every effort to secure a future for wind turbine manufacturing in the UK.’

Meanwhile, after receiving advice from human rights lawyer Louise Christian, the RMT trade union has complained to police that the occupying workers are having their human rights breached by security guards preventing donations of food reaching the workers.

Louise Christian said: ‘There is a positive obligation under the Human Rights Act on the State and its agents, i.e the police, to prevent private individuals from depriving others of their liberty.

‘It therefore appears to me that the local police have a positive obligation to prevent the security agents employed by Vestas stopping people coming in to deliver food to those in occupation.’