Bailiffs enter Vestas factory
Friday, 7 August 2009 12:00 AM
By Alex Stevenson
Bailiffs have finally entered the Vestas factory, in what appears to be the final chapter in a long and arduous occupation.
Bailiff notices were served yesterday after Vestas won an injunction last week to retake possession of their buildings.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the wind turbine manufacturer turned down government offers to rescue its closing Isle of Wight factory, according to a union.
Throughout the protest it was the government which was criticised most by environmental groups, as over 600 jobs were placed in jeopardy by its inaction.
Now the Rail and Maritime Union's general secretary Bob Crow has revealed the government had offered a number of rescue options to Vestas, but each one had been turned down.
"There should now be an investigation into Vestas' activities in the UK as it appears from the meeting with the minister that they kicked the legs from under a perfectly viable rescue deal which could have saved the factory," Mr Crow said.
"We cannot have a situation where companies like this turn the tap on and off on key manufacturing jobs.
"They should not be allowed to simply up sticks and shift production to other parts of the world regardless of the impact on the local economy."
Mr Crow and fellow RMT official John Leach met with energy minister Joan Ruddock yesterday over the closure of the Vestas factory.
Vestas decided to cut 1,900 employees in its northern Europe sector in April, claiming there was insufficient demand in the region for its turbines.
The announcement came days after energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband announced ambitious plans to dramatically increase the number of offshore wind turbines.
Vestas said the government's commitment to "massive investments in wind power would "have a positive influence on Vestas' possibilities of producing blades in Great Britain".
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