NUJ Left activists were a visible and vocal presence at what veterans of the Tolpuddle Martyrs festival have described as the “biggest and best” ever.

The gathering is held annually in the Dorset village made famous by six 19^th century agricultural workers who took an oath of allegiance to fight to improve wages and conditions for their fellow workers.

They were sentenced to seven years hard labour in Australia in 1834, but the conviction was lifted and they returned to Dorset in triumph after a massive public campaign across England, which helped seal many of the rights to organise and fight which form the basis of modern trade unionism.

Former NUJ president Tim Lezard is a long-standing organiser of the festival and chaired one of two key all-comers debates held on the second of the three-day event – on how to link unions with communities and new methods of organising workers.

Current vice president Pete Murray stood in for NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear for the first debate, chaired by Sue Fearns from the campaign group Unions 21, on how UK unions have responded to the recession.

At both, NUJ Left members, assistant northern organiser Jenny Lennox and NEC new media rep Donnacha DeLong, made substantial contributions from the floor.

The festival itself has none of the laminated cards, heavy-handed security or cosseted, aloof artistes which are – sadly – such a feature of the summer festival season.

Nor has it lost the strong political and trade union message at its heart.  Indeed, this year’s Tolpuddle was clearly energised by the presence of a group of workers and supporters from the Vestas wind turbine plant on the Isle of Wight – where more than 600 workers are threatened with redundancy if the company goes ahead with plans to close the plant.

NUJ Left members will already know that the workforce has taken strong and determined action to resist closure by occupying the factory.

In the course of the Unions 21 debate, the local MP and employment minister Jim Knight pledged to “do what he could” to save the jobs in a vital sustainable energy sector.  NUJ Left members will want to do all we can to support the Vestas workers.

One demonstration was already held outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change in Whitehall this week. It is likely further protests will take place as the campaign grows.

In the meantime, please send messages of support to savevestas@gmail.com and for more information visit the Save Vestas website.

Posted by NUJ Left

Tags: protest, solidarity, Tolpuddle, Vestas