Leanne Godley is the wife of Mike, one of the Vestas staff who is staging a sit-in at the Vestas plant in Newport. She has kindly agreed to share her thoughts about the situation with readers of VB. Ed
Can someone please explain to me exactly what is going on with the government?
How can they
award Vestas £6 million to help build the new research and development factory in Newport that was already going ahead anyway?
We already know Vestas is making plenty of its own profits to be able to provides its own research centre, what we need are to produce the blades in this county reducing the carbon footprint of the turbines that will be built to fulfil the governments objective of 15% renewable energy in the UK by 2020.
Surely they can loosen their own legislation around planning permission to get this renewable energy in place across the UK?
Changes to Production Already Planned
Vestas say that the factory could not produce blades suitable for the UK, but from what I understand, at the beginning of this year employees were informed that come August, they would be changing their production to suit the needs of Europe.
Not to mention this could help save the economy of a small Island before it really does turn into a retirement home!
People on the Island have sat back over the years and accepted the low pay and bad working conditions because they are used to many employers holding the attitude of ‘ if you don’t like it you know where the door is’.
This combined with the fact that they are cut off from the rest of the UK with extortionate ferry prices, locals are restrained from having any power or freedom over their working lives.
Please Show Your Support
This plight has gained support globally, but what we ask is the local people to come down to the St Cross site in Newport at 6pm every evening to show the media that the local community supports their workers.
Please be aware this is a completely peaceful protest despite what the news might say!
