Laid-off workers occupy car parts factory

Laid-off workers at car parts maker Visteon were on an overnight sit-in tonight after bosses said more than 560 jobs were being axed.

Around 200 staff facing the dole queue at a plant in west Belfast refused to leave and called for guarantees given by main customer, and former owner, Ford to be honoured.

Visteon UK has three manufacturing plants, in Basildon, Belfast and Enfield.

Pickets of Ford showrooms were threatened by angry workers, despite union representatives telling them to hold off until details were clarified.

As night drew in, food and blankets were delivered by friends and supporters to the workers staging the Belfast protest.

Although Visteon operates the plant, the main focus of the workers’ anger was Ford.

They claim that Visteon’s order book is determined by Ford and the car giant had turned its back on the Belfast workforce.

Workers once promised a “job for life” with Ford said the least they want are decent Ford redundancy terms.

Michael Quigley, a process operator at the plant for 33 years, said he was prepared to sleep over in the factory until Ford comes to the table.

“We have to stick this out,” he said. “We have to get Ford involved. We were guaranteed Ford terms and conditions. And they don’t want to know now. We are prepared to stay here all night in order to get Ford involved.

“Whether they will or not is another matter but it’s their responsibility.”

Janet Kenny, from Lisburn, who was a production operator at the plant for 11 years, said she never saw the move coming.

“We thought there was a risk of the plant closing but we thought they would see us all right, that they wouldn’t just bring in the administrators,” she said.

“But at 1pm today they just said ’you’re unemployed’. The annoying thing is they have another plant in South Africa that’s doing the parts that we’re doing but for cheaper labour.”

Union rep at the plant John Maguire said: “We are inside now. They may try and lock the building but that’s where we are, inside. We’ll stay here for as long as it takes.”

He added: “At the minute Ford say they are not coming but we’ve told Ford that we are not going.”

Maintenance electrician John McCullagh, 36, said: “Ford have a commitment and agreement with the unions that there would never be compulsory redundancies.”

Visteon said the decision to place the UK arm in administration was made after its “substantial losses” left it with no other option.

The division has struggled since Visteon was separated from Ford in 2000.

It reported losses totalling £669m (€733m) in the years after the split.

Mr McCullagh started with the company in 1990 and served his apprenticeship there.

“People are very angry and annoyed, there are people employed here from 1965, people have not taken recent redundancies because they wanted to continue working here and keep this place going,” he said.

Donald Stebbins, chairman and chief executive of Visteon, said: “Despite extensive restructuring efforts, the UK plants have continued to incur substantial losses.

“Regrettably, having exhausted all options, the Visteon UK Ltd board of directors had no alternative but to file for administration.”

Mr Stebbins added: “Addressing the unfavourable financial performance of our UK manufacturing operations is an important step in positioning the company for future success.

“Visteon maintains strong engineering, development and services capabilities in the UK, and continues to serve global vehicle manufacturers through our broad manufacturing and engineering resources throughout Europe.”

Administrator KPMG said Visteon was being subsidised by the US parent group, which is the biggest creditor of the collapsed firm, owed more than £400m (€432m).

Visteon UK employed 173 staff at the Basildon plant, 227 in Enfield and 210 in Belfast.

The wider group has a 33,500-strong workforce and operations in 27 countries.

Davy McMurray, Unite regional organiser in Northern Ireland, called on Ford, as the “sole recipient” of Visteon parts, to show generosity.

“Ford have a moral responsibility to these people and they are avoiding any responsibility,” he said.