Ireland: Visteon workers win deal

On May 3, Visteon workers occupying their west Belfast plant voted to end their 36-day sit-in protest, An Phoblacht said on May 7.

The occupation occurred after it was announced the plant would be closed. The workers' actions were in protest at the reneging by Visteon UK and Ford Motor company (from which Visteon is a spin-off) of their contractual obligations in redundancy payments and pensions.

The Unite union, which represents the workers, said an improved redundancy package had been agreed to, An Phoblacht reported.

Unite spokesman Roger Madison said the deal was "10 times" what the workers were originally offered.

He said: "They've only been offered this because of the actions taken ... it's old-fashioned trade unionism."

The following day, republican party Sinn Fein, which supported the workers' campaign, hosted an adjournment debate in the legislative assembly for the six counties in northern Ireland still claimed by Britain.

Sinn Fein assembly members detailed the lies provided by Ford and Visteon UK in its attempt to deny the workers their legal entitlements.

Sinn Fein president and assembly representative Gerry Adams said the Visteon workers "conducted their campaign with dignity and unity".

Adams said: "As a result of these efforts and the public support for their campaign, the Visteon Corporation has been forced to negotiate a resolution.

"The pay-off offered by Visteon goes some way to addressing the rights of their workers to redundancy packages. But even in this the Corporation has differentiated between workers.

"Moreover, no effort has been made by Visteon or Ford to reinstate employment and manufacturing in Belfast."

Adams accused Vistoen UK of "fraud and corruption". He said Sinn Fein demanded a "full and rigorous investigation [into] the scandal".

In light of the companies "unacceptable and contemptible behaviour", Adams said the "workers rightly and courageously took over the plant".
Adams said: "I want to congratulate the workers on their determined and principled stand against injustice and to commend them for the example they have set in defence of workers' rights."

From GLW issue 795