Wind turbine factory closure date put back

The planned closure date of a wind turbine factory which is being occupied by workers as part of a campaign to save their jobs has been put back.

Published: 8:00AM BST 01 Aug 2009

Vestas Wind Systems was due to close its plant in Newport on the Isle of Wight yesterday, with the loss of over 600 jobs.
A 90-day consultation with the workers was due to end yesterday, but employees have received letters saying the timescale had been extended.

The extension follows a delay in legal moves to end the occupation of the site, which will be heard by a county court on the island next week.
The Rail Maritime and Transport union said the development was "another massive victory" for the campaign to save the factory.
General secretary Bob Crow said: "Delaying the possible closure date to an unspecified point in the future gives us a real opportunity to sit down with the Government and the company to work out a solution to save the factory and the jobs."
A group of 10 workers have been staging a sit-in for the past two weeks, supported by climate change activists who have set up a camp outside the plant.
The Danish-owned firm issued a statement this week explaining that due to the company's expansion in the US, it had announced plans a year ago to convert the production at the factory on the Isle of Wight from 40-metre blades for the V82 turbine to 44-metre blades for the V90 wind turbine, a turbine which is particularly well-suited for the UK onshore and offshore market.
"The decision followed the UK government's announcement on 26 June 2008 of its plan for how to ensure the country would meet its obligation under the EU target of achieving 20% renewable energy by 2020.
"Despite the UK government's strong commitment to renewable energy - which was reconfirmed on 15 July 2009 by its Low Carbon Transition Plan - the local planning process for the construction of new onshore wind power plants in the UK remains an obstacle to the development of a more favourable market for onshore wind power. Since offshore wind power is still on a project basis, a large and stable market for onshore wind power is vital to secure a stable production flow.
"As a result of the current market conditions in Northern Europe and the planning process in the UK, Vestas has decided not to move forward with its plans to convert the factory into the production of 44-metre blades," said the firm.
More supporters are expected to travel to the Isle of Wight over the weekend, while the RMT said it remained "deeply concerned" about the well-being of the workers occupying the factory amid claims that they were being allowed limited access to food.
The union is taking legal advice about possible breaches of the Human Rights Act