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From The Socialist [Dublin], January 2007.
Transcribed and marked up by Ciaran Crossey.
Workers at Visteon have won an important victory in their battle to stay on Ford contracts. The company, which was spun off from Ford, has been trying to break an agreement that Visteon conditions would mirror those of Ford.
Fifteen months ago they gave an ultimatum that workers would have to accept a pay freeze, a loss of holidays and other cuts in conditions or else face the prospect of closure.
The workers in the five Visteon UK plants, including Belfast, refused to be intimidated by these threats. In a ballot, 99% rejected the company proposals. A campaign of industrial action was begun with a ban on overtime which was solid in all plants.
Now Visteon have partially backed off and conceded the 4.25% pay rise that other Ford workers have got.
Workers in the Belfast Visteon plant and members of the AMICUS trade union told The Socialist:
“This is an important concession but the battle is not over. There is still an outstanding issue of pensions where increases in contributions and other changes proposed by Visteon would mean a break with Ford conditions.
“ We have forced them back on pay because of solidarity at plant level – not because of the role of our national union officials in England who were no help – and we can do the same on pensions.
“The closure threat is still there so the long running battle to save jobs and decent wages and conditions at Visteon is set to continue.”
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Last updated: 17 February 2020