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From The Socialist newspaper, 15 September 2009
Coventry Socialist Party councillors show support for Vestas
Motion for full council meeting on Tuesday 15 September 2009
This motion forms part of the solidarity campaign. Socialist Party councillors and members fully support the Vestas workers' campaign, including stopping the blades leaving the factory. We intend to use this motion to build even more solidarity in Coventry. Already a number of trade union donations have been sent down from branches in the city. A worker from the plant received a very warm welcome at two meetings, of Coventry Socialist Party and Coventry CWU postal workers' union. We support the call for nationalisation and want to do all we can to ensure this demand is raised.
Rob Windsor
This Council believes that targets for increasing the proportion of energy produced in a non-polluting, sustainable way to combat climate change can best be achieved over the next decade via wind, tidal and wave power.
Council therefore deplores the decision of Vestas Wind Systems to close the UK's only wind turbine blade plant in Newport on the Isle of Wight with a loss of over 600 jobs on the island and in Southampton.
Council fully supports the actions of those workers who occupied the factory during the summer, and their continuing campaign to prevent product, plant and equipment from leaving the UK.
Council supports the call for the nationalisation of this factory to retain the skills of the workforce, provide much needed local employment, and as part of the development of a serious green energy strategy for the future, and agrees to forward this motion to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
Moved: Cllr Rob Windsor
Seconded: Cllr Dave Nellist
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
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In The Socialist 15 September 2009:
Big business to blame for climate change
No Job Cuts
No to cuts in jobs and services
Capitalist market prescribes diet of cuts
TUC conference - reactions to Brown's speech
TUC conference: Fightback rally
War and occupation
Socialist Party workplace news
Nationalise Anglesey Aluminium to save jobs
Rover - Gangster capitalists were treated as saviours
London RMT: Discussing an election coalition
Leeds council workers on indefinite strike
Construction workers' pay - reject the deal!
The fight against the building blacklist
Socialist Students
College workers strike against vicious cuts
Vestas
Vestas: the fight is far from over
Coventry Socialist Party councillors show support for Vestas
Socialist Party feature
Interview with POA leader Brian Caton
Socialist Party women
Victory - Decent jobs not exploitation
Socialist Party review
International socialist news and analysis
Japan: Election ends Liberal Democrats' 54-year reign
Bangladesh: Angry protests at police attacks
Sri Lanka: Defiant Tamil protest
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