The Visteon Dispute is Not Over!

May 8, 2009 · (text from Visteon Support Group site

Ford Visteon Workers Support Group (Enfield) – Statement for General and Press Release 08/05/2009

Despite forcing Visteon back to the negotiating table and dramatically increasing their offer of redundancy pay, the Ford Visteon workers’ fight for justice is not over. As the Belfast occupation continues, workers in Enfield maintain their 24/7 picket and supporters are gearing up for a sustained campaign:

Their fight has inspired workers and communities across the country and we salute the workers for the victory they have so far won, and we will continue to support their struggle until the workers believe they have received what Ford Visteon owes them.

Redundancy pay – Having fought off Visteon’s disgraceful attempts to rob them of their rights, workers won’t be satisfied until the recent agreement for vastly enhanced redundancy pay are honoured, at the correct rates, with money paid into their bank accounts.

Pensions - The collapse of Visteon UK has put workers’ pensions at risk, potentially leaving them dependent on the taxpayer funded Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to make ends meet. It’s management, on the other hand, siphoned off their pensions to Visteon Engineering Services, an allegedly independent company just before putting Visteon UK into administration. This issue remains to be resolved.

Notes

The Ford Visteon Workers Support Group (Enfield) is a practical support group for the Enfield Visteon workers. FVWSG(E) holds weekly meetings drawing active support from Visteon workers, their families, supporting groups and individuals. The group set up the Visteon workers bank account, has produced some 50,000 leaflets and organised collections across north London and at football matches, and organised many solidarity actions, including rallies and picketing at the Enfield plant, picketing of Ford showrooms and a demonstration at the Visteon administrators, KPMG.

Picket KPMG UK headquarters – Friday 1st May (now gone)

(text from Visteon Support Group site)

Picket KPMG UK headquarters – Friday 1st May
April 29, 2009

3pm-5pm, Friday 1st May
8 Salisbury Square
London
EC4Y 8BB
http://www.kpmg.co.uk/

All Welcome

“KMPG are one of the biggest accountancy companies in the world, offering “creative auditing”, profit laundering and tax avoidance advice to big business. They are currently facing a $1billion lawsuit for malpractices in the US subprime market that contributed to the present economic crisis.

Now they are acting as “administrators” for Ford Visteon motor company – helping to rob sacked employees of their redundancy pay and pensions. This is why we are picketing KPMG”…..[download leaflet]

Rob Williams shop steward at Ford Swansea sacked .. factory occupied

Rob Williams, the Unite convenor of the Linamar car parts factory in Swansea and vice chair of the NSSN, was called into the directors' office of the plant on Tuesday 28 April and told that he was being sacked for "irretrievable breakdown of trust". This blatant victimisation of one of the leading left-wing shop steward activists in the car industry was met by an immediate production line walk-off by the day shift. They surrounded Rob's union office after management called in police to forcibly remove Rob from the building.

Rob has been very active in the campaign of the sacked Visteon car parts workers and has recently visited all three of their plants. His sacking is likely to be linked to his role in this struggle. The Visteon Unite convenors are demanding that Rob be reinstated and they, alongside many others, are calling on Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley to also back the immediate reinstatement of Rob.

Phone protests to:
* Head of Swansea Linamar Brian Wade 01792 656339
* Personnel Manager 01792 656 238

Messages of protest to linda.hasenfratz@linamar.com

Messages of support to Rob Williams:
robbo@redwills.freeserve.co.uk
rwilliams@linamar.com

Send messages urging Unite to defend Rob and other lay officials to the Wales secretary of Unite: Andy.Richards@unitetheunion.com