THE fight by former Visteon workers to protect their pensions has stormed into Westminster.

Around 45 members of Swansea Visteon Pension Action Group (VPAG) travelled to London yesterday to support a body of MPs who met with Ford of Britain chairman Joe Greenwell.

As the Post has previously reported, workers believed their pension terms would be protected when Ford turned the Fabian Way plant into Visteon UK — a company which went into administration last year.

Swansea-based Mike Gard, of the Visteon Pension Action Group, who worked for Ford for 33 years, said: "I have not been able to go up there but I have just touched base with the boys and they said the reception was really good.

"From Swansea we had around 45 former workers up there.

"It is all about meeting with the chairman to ask them to honour the deal we signed with them.

"It is part of the process we are going through and part of the fight.

"We are also trying to get a parliamentary inquiry.

"It is all ongoing. It is a marathon not a sprint."

Swansea West MP Geraint Davies, who was one of the MPs who met with Mr Greenwell, said the meeting went well.

"In terms of the company, they say they are doing things by the book which we understand," he said.

"But they need to understand we are representing the interests of the former workers who had this shabby deal.

"They claim the Visteon company is responsible and not them.

"We are now going forward as there is more scrutiny with this group of MPs who are going to continually bang the drum for justice.

"It certainly is a step forward to help bring a fairer settlement for the Visteon workers."

Swansea East MP Sian James, who also attended the meeting, said: "I think it was very good for Ford to come along.

"We were quite forceful as MPs.

"There was much talk about their moral obligation and the legal obligation that they have.

"It was made clear that further information would be required and we wanted some clarifications.

"The former workers did make an impact.

"They were very visual outside and I could hear them from inside."

Rob Williams, who worked at the plant for 15 years, said: "To be fair, it was excellent as we had 100 pensioners there.

"All of the areas, Belfast, Basildon and Enfield, which is in London, were represented to show Ford that we are not going away.

"We thought an agreement had been made and we believe Ford should honour it."

In a previous statement, a Ford spokesman said the company had "met or exceeded its obligations under the 2000 agreement when Visteon became fully independent".

gill.roberts@swwmedia.co.uk