The Visteon Dispute is Not Over!

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

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]

Day of Solidarity with Ford Visteon Workers Saturday 25th April (update)

initial reports suggest many protests including Southampton, Nottingham, Watford, Brighton, Hackney, Enfield, Colindale, Waltham Cross, Bromley, Eltham, Rayleigh Weir and Ford Dunton in Basildon…

More campaign news:

– Workers at the 3 Visteon plants planned to picket the Bridgend Ford factory en mass. As a result Ford Europe agrees to talks.
– Belfast occupation continues, and court postpones legal action for 12 days
– 24/7 picketing continues at Basildon and Enfield plants
– Visteon workers attend many events and meetings, including joining a rooftop occupation of a school in Lewisham (who’ve taken over their school to prevent its closure) and a march in Islington to commemorate the Tolpuddle trades unionists deported to Australia in the 19th Century
– Increasing donations are coming in, especially from trade union branches – new Model Resolution now available. Visteon workers increasingly cited as an inspiration to all trade unionists and community campaigners fighting cuts and closures (eg at last week’s UNISON healthworkers conference)
– There are plans to protest outside the offices of the corrupt KPMG liquidators who’ve now taken over Visteon assets.  If you are interested and are free during the daytime on weekdays, please get in touch.

Day of Solidarity with Ford Visteon Workers – Saturday 25th April

North London- Solidarity Gathering/Rally & Ford Action

Rally at 11am at the Ford Viseon plant in Enfield, Morson Road, off Meridian Way (A1055) London EN3 4NQ View Map
Following the rally, we will be organising oursleves into small groups to do leafleting at Ford sites in London.

Nationwide Action against Ford
Leafletting is also being organised throughout the UK. Supporters are encouraged to print out copies of our leaflet for for mass distribution this Saturday at Ford showrooms and related sites around London and the UK.

Suggested Ford related sites.
Please note that the showrooms are not necessarily exclusively for Ford products.

FORD SHOWROOMS

49-51 Stamford Hill, London, N16 5TB

Unit 1, Waltham Parkway, Billet Road, Wathamstow, London, E17 5DU

126 Spa Road, Southwark, London, SE16 3QT

259 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, London, E15 3EU

Redburn Trading Estate, South Street Ponders End, Enfield, EN3 4LE

357 Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8PE

720 Great Cambridge Road, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 3WX

902 Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, Essex, IG2 7EE

Ford Component Sales & Dealer Agreements applications & Ford Britain Trust
Ford Motor Company
Ford Component Sales Ltd.
Warley Central Office
Room GB 1/555
Eagle Way, Warley
Brentwood
Essex
CM13 3BW
United Kingdom

Finance for Business
Ford Business Partner
Heathside Park
Heathside Park Road
Stockport
SK3 0RB
Ford Credit
Abbot House
Everard Close
St Albans, Hertfordshire
AL1 2RW

Ford Mobility & Military and Tax-free sales
Ford Mobility
Unit 2 Wintersells Road
Byfleet
Surrey KT14 7LF

Dagenham Motors (Byfleet)
Wintersells Road,
Byfleet,
KT14 7LF

Tel: 0844 858 0154
Dagenham Motors (Cobham)
97 Portsmouth Road,
Cobham,
KT11 1JJ

Tel: 0844 858 0090
Dagenham Motors (Edgware)
319 The Hyde,
Edgware Road,
Colindale,
London,
NW9 6TH

Tel: 0844 858 0310
Dagenham Motors (Eltham)
Five Ways,
Sidcup Road (A20),
Eltham,
London,
SE9 3AQ

Tel: 0844 858 0350
Dagenham Motors (Enfield)
720 Great Cambridge Road,
Enfield,
EN1 3WX

Tel: 0844 858 0440
Dagenham Motors (Epsom Sales)
20-40 East Street,
Epsom,
KT17 1HQ

Tel: 0844 858 0205
Dagenham Motors (Epsom)
Nonsuch Industrial Estate,
Kiln Lane,
Epsom,
KT17 1EE

Tel: 01372 804000
Dagenham Motors (Gillingham)
161-169 Pier Road,
Gillingham,
ME7 1AF

Tel: 0844 858 0360
Dagenham Motors (Hounslow)
719-727 London Road,
Hounslow,
TW3 1SE

Tel: 0844 858 0321
Dagenham Motors (Newbury Park)
902 Eastern Avenue,
Newbury Park,
Ilford,
IG2 7EE

Tel: 0844 858 0420
Dagenham Motors (Plaistow)
259 Plaistow Road,
Plaistow,
London,
E15 3EU

Tel: 0844 858 0371
Dagenham Motors (Potters Bar)
Baker Street,
Potters Bar,
EN6 2DZ

Tel: 0844 858 0330
Dagenham Motors (Ripple Road)
Ford House,
Ripple Road,
Dagenham,
IG11 9PG

Tel: 0844 858 0430
Dagenham Motors (Staines)
268 London Road,
Staines,
TW18 4JQ

Tel: 0844 858 0341
Dagenham Motors (Stamford Hill)
49-51 Stamford Hill,
Stamford Hill,
London,
N16 5TB

Tel: 0844 858 0460
Dagenham Motors (Strood)
1 Ballard Business Park,
Cuxton Road,
Strood,
Rochester,
ME2 2NY

Tel: 0844 858 0380
Dagenham Motors (Thames Ditton)
Brook House,
Portsmouth Road,
Thames Ditton,
KT7 0EG

Tel: 0844 858 0225
Dagenham Motors (Walthamstow)
Unit 1,
Waltham Parkway,
Billet Road,
Walthamstow,
London,
E17 5DU

Tel: 0844 858 0450
Dagenham Motors (Woodford Green)
357 Chigwell Road,
Woodford Green,
IG8 8PE

Tel: 0844 858 0470
Hayes and Heathrow (Commercials)
Bournes Bridge,
Dawley Road,
Hayes,
UB3 1EH

Tel: 0870 085 3180

Visteon workers leaflet – Updated

Visteon Leaflet (for general use)

Translated leaflets.

Visteon Leaflet in French

Visteon Leaflet in German

Visteon Leaflet in Spanish

Visteon Leaflet in Turkish

Visteon Leaflet in Polish

Support the Ford Visteon Workers Struggle

Come to the factory anytime!
Following our 8-day occupation, now join our picket outside

Morson Road EN3 4NQ
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 from some Ford Visteon workers and supporters

How we took action
We, the Ford Visteon workers, occupied our factory on 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, and are still in.

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 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.

Negotiations have now started As a result of the occupation Visteon agreed to negotiate with us – our convenor flew over to the USA this week to meet US company reps. More discussions are due this coming week.

The future?
As well as proper redundancy payments, some are suggesting that our skills – we can make anything in plastic – should be used to make increasingly needed parts for green products: bike and trailer parts, solar panels, turbines, recycling bins 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 throughout the UK, and from workplaces and community groups all over the world. Hundreds of supporters have attended our rallies outside.

Please come to the factory at any time to show us your support. Help raise money by doing workplace and community collections, Get your Union branch or organisation to pass a resolution in support,
and drop by and join our picket…….

Donations via cheque to : ‘Haringey Solidarity group’, POBox 2474, N8

Messages of support to those in dispute: visteonoccupation@googlemail.com

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

Ford Visteon Workers Support Group founded

The group, to support the pickets and occupation of sacked Ford Visteon workers, welcomes others to get involved and has a number of upcoming events listed below.

A loose support network had been set up at an open meeting of about 50 people at a rally outside the Enfield Visteon plant on Saturday 4th April. Various people and groups active in organising ongoing practical support for the workers had proposed that we set up better co-ordination and collaboration for this work. 200 leaflets proposing this were printed by Haringey Solidarity Group and handed out to those present after the workers ended the occupation and started the picket on Thursday 9th. About 40 supporters then took part in an on-site support meeting, where it was agreed to go ahead with the proposed public launch meeting in the evening.

The following principles were agreed

– It was agreed to launch the Ford Visteon Workers Support Group
– Support Group meetings are open to all groups, Visteon workers and families, and any other supporters
– The group will work in collaboration with Visteon workers
– Visteon workers, and only Visteon workers, can speak for themselves
– The weekly open meetings will discuss practical support and solidarity activities, and make decisions
– It is vital to emphasise the link with Ford

Some key admin issues

– All monies raised to go directly to the Visteon workers’ own treasurer. As agreed with the workers, cheques can continue to be sent via ‘Haringey Solidarity Group’, PO Box 2474, N8 until the workers have set up their own account.
– If the Support Group needs some of the money raised we will request it
– All messages of support to the workers to go directly to visteonoccupation@googlemail.com

Upcoming events
– 24/7 picket: at the factory
– Saturday, 11am: Rally at the factory, called by the Enfield and Haringey TUCs
– Saturday, 1pm-3pm: Vols needed to help collect money at the Spurs v West Ham football match. Meet 1pm at the Spurs Shop, corner of Tottenham High Rd and Park Lane N17.
– Tuesday 14th: Further negotiations take place
– Thursday 16th, 7.30pm: Ford Visteon Workers Support Group meeting, Millennium Centre, 386 West Green Rd, N15

To get involved, people should join the e-mail list by mailing visteon_support@haringey.org.uk

Statement from Ford Visteon workers in Enfield

Statement from the North London Visteon workers, who have ended their occupation of their plant and begun to picket it from outside.

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 Unite’s 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.

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.

The 24-hour picket will be difficult without financial, physical and political support. Messages of support, financial contributions and physical presence are required urgently. Kevin Nolan can be contacted on 07956 375 410 or knolan21@msn.com.

Enfield and Haringey TUCs have called on a rally Saturday 11th April at the factory, Morson Road, EN3 4NQ.

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). Next support group meeting Thursday 16th, 7.30pm, Millennium Centre, 386 West Green Rd, N15 3QL. All welcome.

Visteon: Enfield occupation ends but the struggle continues

Sacked workers occupying Visteon’s Enfield plant vacated the premises following announcement of a “deal” discussed with the Unite union.

Workers occupying the Visteon factory in Enfield left the building together at midday today after voting to end in their occupation. There were around 200 people outside to greet the occupiers who, carrying pillows and sleeping bags, descended the spiral steps to rousing applause and chants.

At the High Court earlier this week, the employers agreed to grant a three day window for negotiations to occur before pushing for charges against the occupiers. Talks took place in New York City on 8 April between Visteon bosses and union officials, and it was announced that an improved deal was offered. Details of this new offer however have not been shared with the workers so far.

The occupation may be over but they will continue to picket outside the factory to ensure Visteon can’t strip it down. Visteon workers in Basildon have been picketing their workplace all week, and over in Belfast their factory occupation continues.

Some have expressed fears that by ending their occupation workers will lose leverage with their employer.

Supporters of the workers are gathering tonight to discuss how they can assist the Visteon workers in their dispute. Here are the details:.

Support Visteon Workers
7pm – Thursday April 9th TONIGHT!
Phoenix Millennium Centre, 386 West Green Rd, Tottenham N15 3QL (entrance
on the corner of Vincent Road)
(10 mins south east of Turnpike Lane tube)

Letters of support from German ex-Visteon workers

Letter from Worker at Tedrive, formerly Visteon in Wuelfrath, Germany

It is good to hear from Visteon workers in England and Ireland fighting back and occupying their factories. In the Visteon plants in Wuelfrath and Dueren (West-Germany) workers have been too patient for too long…

In 2000 the former Ford plants in Wuelfrath and Dueren were outsourced to Visteon. Despite agreements with works council and unions it took only few years to deteriorate the working conditions of the former Ford workers. As early as 2003 about 400 of the 1,000 workers were employed by temp agencies. In 2006 the remaining permanent workers had to swallow a so-called restructuring agreement in order to ‘save’ Visteon: no christmas and holiday money for three years plus wage cuts, in total 15,000 Euro per worker within this three years period. In summer 2006 these new conditions prepared Visteon to sell the two plants to Tedrive. Dueren now focus production on power trains and Wuelfrath on steering systems, meaning that the chassis of the Fiesta manufactured in Cologne is produced elsewhere. In spring 2007 Special Situations Venture Partners II bought the Visteon plants under the name of Tedrive. Works council and unions sold this deal as a way to ‘save jobs’. Tedrive new that all major order of Ford would run out by 2009, they were just in for some quick money. As it now turns out they did not pay for the companies (part-time) pension scheme either. Instead Tedrive bought another small supplier for steering systems, taking over machines and patents. Ford/Visteon/Tedrive in Wuelfrath now manufacturing steering systems for Ford Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max and parts for Volvo and Land Rover. In November 2008 the order from the US – about 30 percent of the total production in Wuelfrath – are cancelled. 150 temp workers are sacked on the spot and 170 highly skilled permanent workers are shifted from single parts manufacturing back to assembly line production. On a company assembly on 31st of October2008 the company prepares for a final blow: 28o workers are supposed to be sacked and the remaining 288 are supposed to accept wage cuts of further 4.6 million Euro. At the same time the managements demands Sunday and holiday shifts for finishing the outstanding Ford orders! Only mild protest from the workers representative (works council). On 10th of December the company announces bankruptcy. Ford still depends on the plant in Wuelfrath, they pay for each delivery immediately – instead of the former six weekly payments. In that way Ford paid 7 million Euro in December and 6.5 million Euro in January 2009. Due to lack of investment by Tedrive the production is rather precarious now, spare parts are missing, sometimes simple things like safety gloves lack, as well. The normal shift bonus for the workers is not paid. All in all it became clear: workers have been rather patient, accepting wage cut after wage cut and job cut after job cut. Now they have double stress: Sunday shifts for last orders and the threat of near future unemployment.

Letter from another worker at Tedrive, in Germany

hello colleagues in england,

greetings in solidarity from former Ford werke ag in Germany. we have been outsourced to visteon in 2000 and sold to Orlando in May 2007, a German-Dutch investment group – so now we are employees of the Tedrive-Group. Since December 2008 some branches of the Tedrive Group are in insolvency proceedings and mass redundancies are about to happen – the rest of the workers are supposed to accept a considerable wage cut and to be thankful for the ‘saved” jobs. We got to know about the factory occupations in Great Britain and we wish you best of luck. In Germany in the former Ford/Visteon plants industrial peace is being kept up and Ford is delivered in time, given that Tedrive still depends on Ford and expects a promise for long-term orders. In Germany, as well, Ford is delaying things on purpose, trying to go the way of least resistance and most likely doesn’t think about saving the former Ford employees or plants – they are just interested in securing the supply chain/loyality/quality for a cheap price! don’t back off – you have a lot to lose!

in solidarity, colleagues from Germany
despite the changes of names we say: once ford, always ford, because we are more than just ‘former-ford-employees”!

Radio show about Visteon factory occupations

Listen to the Speakers’ Corner show, broadcast on Resonance104.4fm in London, about the recent factory occupations in Britain with exclusive interviews from inside the factory. The radio show was done by Will Roche, member of BECTU.

Click here to download MP3-file (23MB)