Vestas has blamed the closure on a drop in demand A union has complained to police over claims that workers occupying a wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight are having their human rights breached. Protesters have been staging a sit-in at the Vestas turbine blade factory in Newport over plans to axe 625 jobs. Union bosses accused the firm of trying to "starve" the workers out by restricting access to food and drink. A rally has been held outside the factory, the latest in a series of events staged to support them. The factory was due to close on Friday but is now set to shut on 10 August. We will fight with every tool available to get food into the workers on the inside
Bob Crow
RMT general secretary Responding to the rally in a statement, the protesters said: "It is great to see you all out there despite the awful weather. "You guys being here today just proves the support continues to grow and grow." The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) announced earlier it had lodged a formal complaint to police in Newport over the actions of security guards working for Vestas after it received advice from a human rights lawyer. The lawyer, 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." The protesters, who began the sit-in on 20 July, have been receiving about two meals a day from Vestas, but the union said it had not been enough. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "It's disgusting that Vestas are trying to starve the workers out. Removal bid "We will fight with every tool available to get food into the workers on the inside whose only crime is to fight for their livelihoods and the future of green energy." The protesters say 25 of them have been inside the factory but only 11 workers, who the firm has identified, have been sacked. The Danish firm's bid to have the workers removed failed on Wednesday when a judge ruled removal papers had not been served in accordance with legal rules. The case at Newport County Court was adjourned until Tuesday. Peter Kruse, spokesman for Vestas, told the BBC: "We can only hope that the people on the inside will also realise that this has implications for people outside." Vestas has blamed its decision to close the factory on a lack of demand for wind turbines in the UK market. Do you or someone you know work at the Vestas factory? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments using the form below. A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. Name
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Food deliveries from the RMT were allowed into the Vestas plant in Newport, England yesterday, but were cut off by Vestas management this afternoon.

Protesters at the Isle of Wight factory celebrated the delivery of supermarket bags filed with groceries, which entered with a police escort. This morning, the sixteen remaining occupiers were told to prepare a list of items for future deliveries. But, according to "Mark", an occupier in the Vestas plant, this afternoon Vestas management reversed their decision, terming the August 1 food delivery a one-time "goodwill gesture" and saying food would no longer be allowed in. The food delivery followed a formal complaint by the RMT that denying the occupiers food was a violation of their human rights. The people inside the factory have been conducting their occupation since July 20, in protest against the closure of the factory, which produces wind turbine blades for the generation of wind power, and the loss of 625 jobs in the Isle of Wight and nearby areas.

Mark went on to praise the "brave people" who have circumvented the security ring around the plant in order to get food and other items to the occupiers. An electric kettle thrown at the end of a rope up to the occupiers is said to be working well. Mark also noted that Louise Christian, a prominent British human rights lawyer, is now representing the Vestas occupiers. 

While the number of occupiers at the Vestas plant — originally nearly thirty, now only sixteen — have dwindled, Mark says the ones who remain are "very determined" and furthermore hold no ill will toward their co-workers who have left the occupation. In particular, the occupiers offered sympathy for Luke Paxton, who they say left the occupation due to a combination of personal issues and malnutrition brought on by the deprivation of food. Paxton, Mark said, has the remaining occupiers' "full support" and continues to campaign for the Vestas workers.

Mark also clarified the origins of the occupation. In contrast to claims that green socialist group Workers' Climate Action were behind the occupation, Mark presented a more nuanced picture: the Vestas workers' initial contacts were with veterans of the occupation of Visteon's auto parts plants, with the AWL, SWP and Socialist Party becoming involved later with "quite a big involvement" from all groups. Members of Workers' Climate Action attended Vestas workers' meetings and gave their opinions, but, Mark says, a committee organised by the workers and composed of workers was making all the decisions.

Mark also strongly rejected the support of Solidarity, a "nationalist trade union" closely associated with the BNP. In a July 24 statement, Solidarity backed the Vestas workers, with union executive member David Kerr saying "We are behind the Vestas workers 100 per cent. British jobs must be protected." Mark, in reply, told ''Wikinews'': "We do not want their support...they go against a lot of the things people believe in here. We have Polish workers with us. They're our friends."

Most of the Vestas occupiers remain independent of trade unions, with only three of the sixteen people inside being members of any union.

Mark closed with a message of solidarity with the occupiers of two Thomas Cook branches in Dublin, Ireland, whose employees began a sit-in at their offices on Friday after the announcement of surprise closures. "We fully support what you're doing. Don't back down...do not be pushed around, do not be intimidated".

The Vestas occupiers have also exchanged messages of solidarity with SsangYong Motor Company in South Korea. Workers at SsangYong have been occupying their factory since May 22 in protest against a 36% cut in employees there.

The occupation continues accompanied by a warning of increased union unrest in Britain. Neil O'Brien of centre-right think tank Policy Exchange told ''The Daily Telegraph'' that, while labour unrest had increased, the current state of affairs is "nothing compared to what is going to happen once the brakes are slammed on public spending."