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Updated: Second day of Visteon protests

3:00pm Thursday 2nd April 2009 in News

Protesters at Visteon today Protesters at Visteon today

SEETHING former employees of a car parts factory staged a second day of heated protests yesterday.

Dozens of staff made redundant through the closure of Visteon UK in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, moved their protest to outside the Visteon Engineering Services HQ in Endeavour Drive, Basildon.

They chanted “out, out, show some support”, “Stop hiding behind your desks” and “It’ll happen to you next” to staff in the huge office block.

Around 170 workers were laid off when Visteon UK went into administration on Monday.

One of the protesters, Chris Brown, 30, from the Point area of Canvey, who worked there for eight years, said: “We are hoping someone will come out of the offices and talk to us.

“It seems like what they’ve done is cover every legal loophole, so they could lay us off without having to pay us proper redundancy.”

Another former employee Tony Middleditch, 50, of Boars Tye, Silver End, who worked there for 25 years, said: “They still have the old Visteon flag flying outside this office, with the logo ‘see the possibilities’ – well we’ve seen the possibilities all right.

“What they’ve done probably isn’t illegal, but it isn’t ethical or moral.”

Richard Carey, 49, of Popes Crescent, Pitsea, who worked at the plant for 31 years, said: “The way we’ve been treated is wrong and we won’t accept it.”

Visteon was established in 1997 as a subsidiary of Ford.

The firm separated from Ford in 2000, taking on the Christopher Martin Road plant and all its employees.

Visteon split into two branches last year – Visteon UK, which owned the Basildon plant, and Visteon Engineering Services.

Visteon Engineering Services is still trading, and employs 400 people at its offices in Endeavour Drive.

Jonna Christensen, spokeswoman for Visteon Engineering Services, denied her branch of the Visteon family is responsible for redundancy payments to former Visteon UK employees.

She said: "Visteon UK entered into administration on Tuesday, March 31.

“The appointed administrator, KPMG, is now responsible for communicating with the employees at the plant regarding compensation matters.”

Comments(19)

P.J says...
11:04pm Wed 1 Apr 09

Now the car parts suppliers are suffering due to lack of car sales . Surely the whole factory does not need to be closed seems a bit drastic as it's been there for years, things not that bad are they or is a case of blame it on the recession and get away with it that way ? WTF

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Last Poster says...
2:19am Thu 2 Apr 09

P.J wrote:
Now the car parts suppliers are suffering due to lack of car sales . Surely the whole factory does not need to be closed seems a bit drastic as it's been there for years, things not that bad are they or is a case of blame it on the recession and get away with it that way ? WTF
This is the case of this whole sad fiddle. Woolworth's never had a reduction in staff and closing down the worst stores?
Nah! just the same old right wing ruse. When it reaches it's peak, it will be perfect to get the Tories back in. Then they may stop all this election nonsense for once and for all!

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Nebs says...
6:26am Thu 2 Apr 09

If you think it's a going concern then talk to the administrators about taking it over.

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Jaybe says...
12:25pm Thu 2 Apr 09

It is very unfortunate that the workers will get very little and probably loose their pension while Visteon pensioners, aged over 65, who left many years ago, will get their pension protected under the Government's scheme.

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Kevin.62 says...
12:43pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Only a short time back in the past this plant made every radiator for every Ford car in Europe, making a profit of just less than 40 million pounds a year. Then with a quick name change above the door the work was move bit by bit to the Czech Republic, so the Ford motor company could make even more money. Now the workers have been cast aside after working decades of shift work, with no pension and no pay off.
The local economy and these people’s families will suffer because of Ford’s greed.
And not a word from our local Labour MP.

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BettyBoo07 says...
1:37pm Thu 2 Apr 09

My husband, after 18 years has received nothing, some I know have done 30+. They received no notice, no nothing. Why has the work they were doing now been shiped in last 48hrs to Slovkia and S.Arica? Why should these guys have to fight for what they are legally entitled to - they are all under Mirror Image Ford Contracts, nothing was signed under Visteon. They know there's nil chance of getting their jobs but to be shafted like this by FORD is dispicable. This is absolutley deplorable the way they have been treated whilst the likes of the plant managers are safetly under a NEW Visteon UK Technical Company are safe. Who's going to pay our mortgages, bills and put food on the table on £65 a week job seekers - they have worked all their lives and for what? PLEASE SUPPORT OUR BASILDON WORKERS

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Partyboy2 says...
1:59pm Thu 2 Apr 09

I know a little about this company through someone I know working there. From what I have heard, workers were offered redundancy a few months back and although it wasn't a full redundancy package it was still a large amount of money. It seems pretty obvious to me that if this was the case, then it was obviously a company in trouble and they should have taken it then.

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cherylB says...
2:08pm Thu 2 Apr 09

NO! They were NOT offered redundancy earlier. You had to be over 54 to apply!
We now get £60 a week instead of £400!

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BettyBoo07 says...
2:28pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Correct Cheryl. It was the CCR's that took the redundancy/payoff, roughly between 9&12k for 12-18 months service. And yes for the over 54's.
For 18 years service they didn't even come close to that figure for my husband if he took VR. Where's the sense in that???

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P.J says...
11:13pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Nebs wrote:
If you think it's a going concern then talk to the administrators about taking it over.
Are you a complete idiot?

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Soozie says...
11:42pm Thu 2 Apr 09

P.J wrote:
Nebs wrote: If you think it's a going concern then talk to the administrators about taking it over.
Are you a complete idiot?
PJ Nebs is an idiot. Read his other posts and you know he has lost the plot.

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Range Rover says...
3:45am Fri 3 Apr 09

cherylB wrote:
NO! They were NOT offered redundancy earlier. You had to be over 54 to apply! We now get £60 a week instead of £400!
I am not an authority on this but beg to differ as a relative of mine took a package and is very glad he did in light of recent events. Yank owned businesses always act the same way. The same happened at Johnson Controls in progress road,they could make more dough by moving elsewhere so they just put a red pen through the plant and its all over. Same with Ford if you ask me.

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Bill Richards says...
9:44am Fri 3 Apr 09

Not one person has mentioned the unions that gave fords so much grief that they were forced into seeking cheaper labor options.

Your problem here is the Left wing unionists who drove Fords and many other large company's away from teh job market. I suggest you all go ask them what to do now.

Yes workers are entitled to certain rights and fair pay, but the unions in this country are atrociously managed by left wing radicals and marxists, all of whom by the way take a fat salary from your union funds.

Why should they employ people not will ing to do more than a 40 hour week on high wages and militant shp stewards dictating working practices, when they can go to countries where people are grateful for the jobs and willing to earn money with overtime and are proud of the companies they work for, not always seeing it as a them and us scenario.

Ditching the unions should be the first step back to recovery from this recession as while they are in the limelight, the larger manufacturers such as Fords, BMw Nissan, etc are not even going to consider the UK

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cherylB says...
10:45am Fri 3 Apr 09

Range Rover wrote:
cherylB wrote: NO! They were NOT offered redundancy earlier. You had to be over 54 to apply! We now get £60 a week instead of £400!
I am not an authority on this but beg to differ as a relative of mine took a package and is very glad he did in light of recent events. Yank owned businesses always act the same way. The same happened at Johnson Controls in progress road,they could make more dough by moving elsewhere so they just put a red pen through the plant and its all over. Same with Ford if you ask me.
Was that 'relative' under 54???
No-one under that age was considered for voluntary redundancy. Believe me, with a husband collecting £60 a week JSA, do you REALLY think we would have turned down 'better' offers!!

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Partyboy2 says...
11:48am Fri 3 Apr 09

cherylB wrote:
Range Rover wrote:
cherylB wrote: NO! They were NOT offered redundancy earlier. You had to be over 54 to apply! We now get £60 a week instead of £400!
I am not an authority on this but beg to differ as a relative of mine took a package and is very glad he did in light of recent events. Yank owned businesses always act the same way. The same happened at Johnson Controls in progress road,they could make more dough by moving elsewhere so they just put a red pen through the plant and its all over. Same with Ford if you ask me.
Was that 'relative' under 54??? No-one under that age was considered for voluntary redundancy. Believe me, with a husband collecting £60 a week JSA, do you REALLY think we would have turned down 'better' offers!!
I hate to say it but i think you are wrong as the person I know is mid thirties and was offered a sum of money that would have covered him for at least 10 months.

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cherylB says...
3:13pm Fri 3 Apr 09

Range Rover - go to the picket line outside the factory, and see the upset for yourself. Only the temporary CCR workers 'got' the deals.

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Range Rover says...
8:15pm Fri 3 Apr 09

I wish I could Cheryl,but I'm not living nearby anymore. In answer to your question earlier,my relative who worked there is 44 years old. I dont know the ins and outs of course ,but I do know he was shop floor,and not temporary. He told me he got a deal because he tells me he's glad he took it even though he doesnt quite know what hes going to do next.
Believe me Cheryl,I know it comes as little support to those involved but I am very frustrated about all this.

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gibup says...
8:17pm Fri 3 Apr 09

I cannot believe the comments I am reading. Are you sure you are the wives/husbands of the employees or indeed the employees themselves? early retirement was offered along with voluntary redundancy so lets not get conused what was on the table. Voluntary redundacy that you seem was offered bu less that the cheap laboured staff is incorrect. any one of any age and service could have applied for voluntary, the problem with voluntary redundancy was that the offer for ford mirrored of inexcess of £30,000 wasn't enough for the greedy ford workers. I suggest you go back to your husbands, wives, or you as the employee get the facts correct before you comment on crap information.

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cherylB says...
8:47am Sat 4 Apr 09

NO-ONE was offered "in excess of £30,000" - Where are YOU getting your information from 'gibup' ??

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