Vestas National Day of Action

September 17th 2009 saw the second Vestas National Day of Action. The highlight of the day was a lively rally at Ed Miliband's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) which demonstrated that the fight to save the Vestas wind turbine factory and for green jobs goes on. The rally was organised by the Campaign aginst Climate Change, working with Wandsworth and Battersea Trades Council, with a variety of groups attending including the RMT Union and Workers' Climate Action. A hundred or so activists ensured that this rally was bigger than that on the previous National Day of Action.

Speakers included John McDonnell MP (Labour, Hayes and Harlington),  Darren Johnson (Green Party and chair of the GLA), Jess Edwards (National Union of Teachers), Mark Flowers (Vestas worker), Tracy Edwards (Young Members Organiser for the Public and Commercial Services Union) and Lynda Taffe (Shop Stewards Network).

See the photo gallery here.

Videos of the speeches are in a YouTube playlist.

 

At the same place there was a lobby/photo-op earlier in the day, some photos are here.

Meanwhile other events took place around the UK:

Isle of Wight
March to County Hall. Assemble 12.30pm, Church Litten Park, Newport. 
In the evening, workers and supporters met for a drink in the Chicago Rock Cafe, Newport from 7.30pm. More info here.

Manchester
5pm Rally at Piccadilly Gardens. Wear Green, bring banners, mass leafleting.
Call Martin 079 585 35231 for more info.
Called by Campaign against Climate Change and Manchester Trades Council
8pm Social for Vestas workers, Chorlton Irish Centre.
Called By Chorlton Green Party.

Tyneside
Assemble 4.30pm, Newcastle Civic Centre for march through the
city centre and rally outside the regional government offices, Gallowgate.
More info: http://tynesidecacc.wordpress.com/

Cardiff
17:00 - 18:30
Nye Bevan Statue, End of Queen St, Cardiff
Supported By Cardiff RMT Branch, PCS Wales, Campaign against Climate Change, Leanne Wood AM, Climate Camp Cymru, World Development Movement Cardiff, People and Planet, Cardiff Young Greens
Call Adam 07940108146 or cardiffccc@hotmail.co.uk for more info

Southampton
Demonstration at 5 o'clock on the 17th September at the Vestas Southampton factory. Followed by an open meeting at 7pm in the Dockers Club in Southampton.
Supported by RMT

Rotherham
Solidarity With The Vestas Workers public meeting
7pm at the Unity Centre, St Leonard's Road, Rotherham
Speaker from Vestas, plus Corus worker and striker from Tower Hamlets College UCU.
All welcome. Called by the Right to Work Campaign and Vestas support group.

London (Holborn)
A public meeting on the theme of Jobs, Education, Peace and Climate will be held at 7.30pm in the London Welsh Centre, 157 Gray’s Inn Road, London, WC1X 8UE.
Speakers include Mark Flower from Vestas, NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear and representatives from the UCU, NUT. Organised by the NUJ but backed by other unions.

Birmingham
Rally outside the Government Office of the West Midlands
5pm - 6pm at 5 St Philips Place, Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2PW
Plus leafletting of local stations.
Called by Campaign Against Climate Change and Birmingham Trades Union Council, for more information call 07846 490 408.

Brighton
Street Meeting
5pm Churchill Square

Newcastle
March from the Newcastle Civic Centre through the city centre and rally outside the regional government offices, Gallowgate.
Assemble 4.30pm
Tel. Ed 07740 099479

Warrington
Protest at Vestas Warrington HQ, 302 Bridgewater Place, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6WU. 7:30am-9:00am.

Sheffield
Mass leafleting and holding a collection at Sheffield railway station from 4:30pm. Contact Rebecca on 07870 565 011 for more details.

For more info visit the Save Vestas blog.

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