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Vestas workers told jobs are gone (From Daily Echo)
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Vestas workers told jobs are gone
9:35am Tuesday 28th April 2009
HUNDREDS or workers at one of the south’s flagship companies have today been told they will lose their jobs.
Workers at Vestas, which has plants in Southampton and the Isle of Wight were this morning called into hear the shock news that the company is closing down its operations in the UK.
The company that employs up to 500 people in the Isle of Wight and around 200 at their Woolston plant gave employees three months notice before they would be made redundant.
In a statement to staff bosses said: “Subject to appropriate consultation we are proposing to cease our production operations at Vestas Blades UK Ltd and are proposing to close the business as a result.”
The company, which manufactures wind turbines, blamed the economic downturn and lack of demand across Europe for the drastic move.
Staff were called to simultaneous meetings at the plants at Newport and Merlin Quay at Woolston at 7.30am this morning where they were told their jobs were gone.
One worker who asked not to be named said: “The atmosphere was sombre to say the least. I have to say I was close to tears at one point. Although there had been rumours we never thought this would happen. They have been a fantastic company to work for but this is just devastating.”
Despite the threat of job cuts at the Isle of Wight, the company has pledged to continue investing in the development centre at the plant.
News of the job cuts comes just days after the British government announced a huge investment in wind power technology.
Along with the job cuts in Hampshire almost 2,000 employees were being made redundant in Denmark, where the company is based.
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Your Say YourEcho
MangaFace, says...
10:06am Tue 28 Apr 09
Derek of Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire says...
10:43am Tue 28 Apr 09
Will this help to slash costs?
bigyinn, Ryde says...
12:28pm Tue 28 Apr 09
Im sure the workers without jobs to pay their bills and support their families will see the funny side of your stupid comments!
Keith Oftergrass, Portswood says...
1:17pm Tue 28 Apr 09
Bit sad to see them go, but hey-ho that's life.
Should be loads of jobs being created with the Nuclear Power station plans though.
Charlie George's Lawnmower, Soton says...
1:29pm Tue 28 Apr 09
Derek of Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire says...
4:12pm Tue 28 Apr 09
bigyinn wrote:It's best to keep a sense of humour during these troubled times.
Derek of Dibden..
Im sure the workers without jobs to pay their bills and support their families will see the funny side of your stupid comments!
Bartonian, Chandler's Ford says...
5:27pm Tue 28 Apr 09
Ben Doone, Dubai says...
8:42pm Tue 28 Apr 09
Derek of Dibden Purlieu wrote:Derek
bigyinn wrote: Derek of Dibden.. Im sure the workers without jobs to pay their bills and support their families will see the funny side of your stupid comments!It's best to keep a sense of humour during these troubled times.
What line of business are you in?
jaspm7, Totton says...
10:12pm Tue 28 Apr 09
Why do people hang on to fairy tale dreams of a world where the renewable natural resources of the planet keep us all in energy?
Duncan Disorderly, Whereami says...
8:34am Wed 29 Apr 09
bigyinn, Ryde says...
2:01pm Wed 29 Apr 09
BTW Im not one of the nimbys either!
southy, redbridge says...
11:25am Thu 30 Apr 09
Bartonian wrote:the lie started back in the 70,s with m.thatcher when she took over from ted heath, she used it to help destroy the miners, and feel right into the greenies lap. wind, wave, tidal and solar are not the answers nuclear power could be an answer if they can find a way to clean up after when the power station is close down. how ever there is a power that would out last the earth and we are all standing on it, the heat be low the the earth bed crust there is a energy there that the whole world could use its just a case of having the tect to go down that far.
Huh.....and Gordon Brown said that thousands of new jobs will be created through renewable energy such as this. Is somebody not telling us the truth? We are lied to every day and nobody notices!
Hundreds of jobs set to be axed from flagship business
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Martin Wellbourne, says...
9:40am Tue 28 Apr 09
Which comes just weeks after the Danish and German Governments decided that wind was not the answer to their energy needs in the future.