Support Ford Visteon workers – visit Visteon Enfield

Visteon workers in Enfield are picketing their factory around the clock to prevent the removal of machinery from the plant. They need support – donations, messages, solidarity actions, and your physical presence on occasions!

This leaflet by the Ford Visteon Workers Support Group gives advice on visiting the factory: getting there, what to take, and what to do when you’re there. Website at : http://www.visteonoccupation.org

Getting there

Address: Morson Road, off Meridian Way (A1055), near Ponders End, London EN3 4NQ.
Map:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=536327&y=195126&z=0&sv=EN3+4NQ&st=2&pc=EN3+4NQ&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf

or http://tinyurl.com/visteonenfield for short



Parking: the plant is on an industrial estate; you can park close to the plant on Morson Road.

Warning: there is a small chance that you might get a parking ticket! If worried, ask the workers the best place to park.

By train: National Express East Anglia trains from Liverpool Street call at Hackney Downs, Tottenham Hale (which is also on London Underground Victoria Line) and Ponders End. The journey takes about 17 minutes. The plant is 5 minutes walk from the train station, eastwards across the footbridge, southwards down Meridian Way and turn left into Morson Road.

Timetables here:

http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/train_times/current_timetables/(station)/PON

If that link doesn't work use http://tinyurl.com/pondersendtimetable


Buses:

Buses from Ponders End station

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/pondersendstation-12126.pdf

Buses from Ponders End

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/pondersendandsouthburystation-2232.pdf

Night bus: Night bus N279 runs from Trafalgar Square to Waltham Cross and back 3 times an hour on Sunday–Thursday nights inclusive, and 5 times an hour on Friday and Saturday nights. It runs up and down Hertford Road at the bottom end of South Street (the road from the station on the opposite side of the railway line from Visteon). Allow 15–20 minutes to walk from the factory. Buses towards Trafalgar Square, via Tottenham, Finsbury Park, Holloway and Camden Town stop at approximately 01.40, 02.00, 02.20, 02.40, etc. Links with N41 at Tottenham, and N91 at Holloway Road.

Buses to Waltham Cross arrive at Hertford Road/South Street approximately 01.29, 01.49, 02.09, etc.

What to take

Anything you think you might need for yourself and anything you think you can donate to the pickets. If you are staying for any length of time, a tent, sleeping bag (there is room nearby to camp); warm clothes, especially if visiting at night; washing materials – there is no running water on site; food, drink (not too much alcohol – arguably none); radios, musical instruments, etc. You can probably get a hot drink onsite but shouldn’t count on it.
There is no internet access onsite; the workers have a laptop with some access but that is for their own use. If you are driving and can take some wood for the fire that is always welcome.

What to do when you’re there

Introduce yourself at the first picketed gate you come to (there are 3/4), and ask them to direct you to whoever is in charge of organising pickets. They will tell you if they want you to go to any specific gate. The workers do four-hour picketing shifts. For obvious reasons, it is generally harder to maintain the pickets at night. If you can commit to a four-hour shift one night, you can sign up here: http://doodle.com/7tgwd2akiyeas8id

Most of the time there will be a worker on each gate: they have walkie talkies to communicate with each other. If there are any particular security concerns, you will probably be told when you arrive, but if you are unsure about anything ask as many questions as you need to.
Obviously, you are there to support the workers, so respect their wishes. If they want you to do something, or stop doing anything, please respect that.

Think about health and safety: you are visiting a factory on an industrial estate. While it is generally quiet, large lorries and fast-moving cars can use the roads at any time. The pickets use open fires to keep warm. There are portaloos on site but they are not always nice to use: visit the toilet before you get there – there is no loo at Ponders End but there is one at Tottenham Hale. Apart from those cautions, enjoy your visit, be as useful as you can, get to know the workers, and tell other people about your experience so that they will want to go as well.

Donations

To donate direct to the workers you can send cheques payable to ‘Haringey Solidarity Group’ to PO Box 2474, London, N8. Write ‘Visteon’ on the back of the cheque. Or you can take donations direct to the factory and give them to the person in charge of organising the pickets

Ford Visteon Workers Support Group

Ford Visteon Workers Support Group
Info: www.visteonoccupation.org
To get actively involved: visteon_support@haringey.org.uk
Contact: email address being set up
Updates: announcements e-list being set up


Next Support Group meeting
Wednesday 22nd April, 7.30pm
At the Visteon Factory, Enfield (Gate 5), Morson Rd (Gate 5), EN3 4NQ
The plant is 5mins walk from Ponders End train station, eastwards across the footbridge, southwards down the main road and turn left into Morson Rd
Note: If weather is very bad those present will transfer to nearby indoor venue

Coming Events

24/7: Picketing of all 4 entrances to the Visteon factory. Supporters welcome.
Sat 18 April, 11am: Supporters Gathering/Rally @ Visteon (Gate 5), Enfield
Wed 22 April, 7.30pm: Weekly Support Group meeting @ Visteon (Gate 5). All welcome.
Sat 25 April all day: National Day of Action and leafletting at Ford dealerships/showrooms
Sat 25 April, 11am: Supporters Gathering/Rally @ Visteon (Gate 5), Enfield + leafleting at showrooms afterwards
Sat 25 April, 5pm: Premiere of Visteon documentary @ Housmans, 5 Caledonian Rd, N1
Sun 26 April, 6:30pm: Visteon documentary @ The Foundry, Old St

Visteon workers leave factory but continue the fight

Having posted a bit on the Visteon factory workers situation, I can update folks a little....though I have not been involved since they left the factory. This is a statement from the Visteon folks themselves, along with a video posted on Youtube of the day.

Ford Visteon Occupation Enfield ends - 24 Hour Picket begins April 9 2009‏.

Statement from Enfield Ford Visteon workers

At a hearing at the High Court on Monday 6th April, the union Unite won the right for the Enfield occupation to continue without further legal duress until noon on Thursday 9th April so that negations with Visteon US could take place. (Two local trade union representatives had by then already been served with restraining orders threatening them with prison sentences.)

Kevin Nolan, the Enfield Unite convener, flew with Derek Simpson and Roger Maddison, to New York on Tuesday and held promising talks with the senior management, which will be resumed on Tuesday 13th somewhere in the UK.

After Kevin Nolan reported back, the workforce accepted Unites advice to cease the occupation by the legal deadline. The enthusiastic demonstration of several hundred people who had gathered to express support for their cause clapped, chanted and cheered the occupiers for the stand they had taken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAhJICyrl-k


They are now picketing the factory to keep the pressure on Ford Visteon, and prevent them from removing equipment or products, and if necessary prevent Ford Visteon from re-opening the factory with a scab labour work force.


Messages of support can be sent to visteonoccupation@gmail.com

A Ford Visteon workers’ support group is helping to coordinate support by sustaining the pickets and publicising the Ford Visteon workers’ struggle for justice. By agreement with the pickets, Haringey Solidarity Group will channel financial support to the pickets through their bank account. Cheques made out to ‘Haringey Solidarity Group’ or ‘HSG’ may be sent to HSG, PO Box 2474, London N8 0HW (write Ford Visteon on the back).

Haringey Solidarity Group website : http://www.haringey.org.uk

Support the Ford Visteon Workers Occupation

Come to the factory anytime!
Especially around 12 noon

Morson Road EN3 4TN
near Ponders End train station, Enfield

The plant is 5min walk, cross the foot-bridge, walk down main road towards Central London, the next street to the left is Morson Road, the factory situated at the end

Statement (below) from some Ford Visteon workers and supporters (from inside the occupied factory)


We have occupied our factory Ford Visteon workers have occupied our factory since Wednesday 1st April. The previous day in a meeting lasting just 6 minutes we were told that the European company, with plants in Belfast, Basildon and Ponders End, Enfield, was going into administration and that we were to leave - without our wages being paid. Personal possessions could be collected the next day, but at 10 o'clock the factory was locked closed. Workers had already occupied the Belfast factory.
We demand what is due to us The 200 workers who are part of the Ford subsidiary want the same conditions they have always had via "mirror contracts" with the parent company. Up to now they don't know when they will get wages due, and their pensions are to be controlled by the government Pensions Protection Fund. This means a maximum of £9,000 payout, and much reduced conditions! Some of the women and men have 40 yrs service!

The whole situation has been created for news management - announce it during the G20 and it will get buried in the media. And this is largely what's happened. The move is to save Visteon USA money at our expense.

But unexpectedly Unite union members have taken determined action that bosses thought they had eliminated years ago.

The workers want their existing terms respected. Ford Visteon can't be allowed to avoid their responsibility. So far they have tried legal intimidation but have even managed to mess this up.

As well as proper redundancy payments, some are suggesting that the skills of the workers who can make anything in plastic, should be used to make increasingly needed parts for green products - bike and trailer parts, solar panels, turbines, etc. Government investment in this rather than throwing money at bankers could be profitable & save jobs in the long term.

All support welcome Ford Visteon workers have been pleased at the support received from other Ford plants as well, such as Southampton, who are blacking Visteon products. 100s attended our rally on Saturday..

Please come to the factory at any time (especially 12 noon) to show us your support. Get your Union branch or organisation to pass a resolution in support. Help raise money by doing workplace and community collections, and drop in...

Messages of support to those inside: visteonoccupation@googlemail.com

This is a fight we can win. We're off our knees and fighting fit!