MORE than 100 former workers from a car parts factory attended a meeting to discuss how to rescue their pensions.

Visteon UK went into administration two months ago, closing its car parts factory in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon.

The Government-run Pension Protection Fund is set to take over the failed company’s retirement scheme. Angry former workers fear they will lose a huge chunk of their pensions because of this.

They called for Ford, which owned the factory until 2000, to take back responsibility for their pensions at a packed public meeting.

Dennis Varney, 58, of the Lindens, Langdon Hills, worked for Ford for 31 years, before he was transferred to Visteon in 2000. He continued working for Visteon, at the Christopher Martin Road factory, for seven years and retired in 2006.

He said: “Like many people who went to the meeting, I worked for Ford for the vast majority of my working life. We didn’t have a choice, we always had to pay around five per cent of our monthly salary into the Ford pension fund.

“When they transferred us to Visteon, we only went along with it because we were told we’d retain Ford terms and conditions for life and that included pensions.

“If our fund goes to the Pension Protection Fund, I think I’ll lose about 50 per cent on my monthly payments. That shouldn’t be allowed.”

Paul Bailey, 60, of Wincoat Drive, Benfleet, worked for Ford for 33 years and Visteon for three years.

He said: “I was loyal to Ford for an awfully long time, as were many others. If they won’t accept moral responsibility for our pensions, we need to prove they have a legal responsibility.”

Basildon and East Thurrock MP Angela Smith addressed the packed meeting at Ford Sport and Social Club, in Gardiners Close, Basildon.

The MP assured former workers she is compiling a dossier of evidence to prove either Ford and American based Visteon Corporation, which is still trading, should take responsibility for the pension fund.

Ford spokesman Oliver Rowe said: “Ford met or exceeded its obligations when Visteon became fully independent. The agreement covered the transfer of employees and their pensions into the Visteon fund.”