Engineering news
More than a hundred members of the Visteon Pension Action Group demonstrated at Parliament last week as representatives from Ford were grilled over a pensions dispute by MPs.
Former Visteon workers face cuts to their pensions of up to 60% following the collapse of the automotive supplier’s British subsidiary last year. Visteon was spun out of Ford in 2000. The workers say their terms and conditions of employment, including pension pots, were guaranteed at the time of Visteon’s creation by the US automotive giant. Ford denies this, and the dispute has escalated as MPs have begun to take an interest in the case. Trade union Unite has also begun legal proceedings against Ford.
Four representatives from Ford, including Joe Greenwell, chairman of Ford in the UK, were quizzed by parliamentarians led by Stephen Metcalfe, MP for Basildon and East Thurrock. One of the former Visteon plants that was shut down in April last year was in his constituency. Visteon plants in Basildon, Enfield and Belfast were closed with the loss of 600 jobs in April 2009. About 3,000 workers are affected by the pensions dispute. The protestors were greeted by Metcalfe, Siân James, Labour MP for Swansea East, and Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Swansea West.
James had previously tabled an early day motion in Parliament expressing concern at the treatment of the Visteon pensioners. Sources believe Ford could be forced to take on a £350 million liability if legal action against the company is successful.
Before the meeting with Greenwell, Metcalfe was presented with a letter signed by present members of the board of the Visteon Pension Trustees. The letter demanded that a House of Commons committee investigate the actions of Ford and Visteon in regard to the pension fund.
Simon Harding of the Visteon Pension Action group told PE: “The meeting between Ford and the MPs lasted for an hour and a half, after which Stephen Metcalfe came outside and spoke briefly to us.
“Mr Metcalfe said that 15 MPs attended the meeting at various stages and there were four representatives from Ford, one being Joe Greenwell, Chairman of Ford of Britain. The meeting was constrained by the fact that Joe Greenwell had another meeting to go to and consequently it did not cover all the topics that were planned for discussion.
“We understand that Ford took its customary stance of ‘unfortunate, but nothing to do with us’, and consequently there is to be another Ford-MP meeting in the spring, allowing Ford more time to investigate some of the questions asked.
“We understand that Stephen Metcalfe will meet with us early next year to provide a more in-depth report back and to discuss next steps.”
“We have in writing the promises Ford made to us with regard to our pensions, and that we expect them to honour these.
“We plan to keep up the pressure from Ford from all angles, political, legal and regulatory, and we have our fingers crossed that 2011 will be our year."