Derry car plant workers continue sit-in

Workers facing redundancy at a French-owned car components plant in the North were today maintaining a sit-in amid a row over the size of their pay-off.

The workforce at the Calcast plant at Campsie in Derry maintained the sit-in overnight after starting it yesterday amid union claims they were to be short-changed.

Management at the company, which is a subsidiary of Paris headquartered Montupet, said around 90 workers would be made redundant with the remaining 12 offered work elsewhere – Montupet has a plant at Dunmurry outside Belfast.

Unions said limiting the number of those being paid off to below 99 meant those going will only get a one-month notice payment, compared to the three-month payment they would get if more than 99 went.

Philip Oakes, of the Unite union, said: “As far as we’re concerned that is them manipulating the figures in order to save around £200,000 (€235,000).

“The employees and the trade union members decided that it would be better for them to remain on site.”

He added: “Their view is that if they leave at this stage the company might close the gates behind them and not let them back in.

“Individual members have decided to stage a sit-in at the plant until such time as the issue is resolved.”

Calcast, which makes cylinder heads for the Ford Explorer 4x4, blamed the shutdown of the plant on the global financial crisis and a plunge in sales of the Explorer.

Workers had feared the worst after being laid off for the past two weeks, but were ready to resume production when they arrived for work on Monday.

Workers’ factory representative Liam Helferty added: “The company are basically playing a numbers game in order to save themselves two months’ notice money – it’s a disgrace.”

Local Foyle MP, SDLP leader Mark Durkan, and Derry City Council mayor Gerard Diver have given their support to the workers and urged the company to play fair with them.

Mr Diver said: “It’s imperative that employees are given the support they need in the form of a good redundancy package so that they can plan and decide about their futures,” he said.

“The unions and workers have my full support in their bid to secure a decent redundancy package.”