Former Visteon workers told Ford will not save pensions

BOSSES at motor giant Ford have told former employees they will not step in to support their pensions.

The former Visteon workers, who face losing a large amount of their pensions, took their battle to New York when they met with Ford management.

Around 150 former Visteon workers gathered last night in the Railmen's Club in Wind Street, Swansea, to hear how the talks went.

Rob Williams, union convenor for the Linamar (formerly Visteon) plant in Jersey Marine, told the packed meeting that Ford had not agreed to their request.

He said: "If we are honest, all of us expected the response we got."

He added: "Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ford commented that it's nothing to do with them."

The workers fear that, unless Ford steps in, they will lose up to 40 per cent of their pensions.

Last night's meeting heard the cost could range between £200 and £350 million. Ford has argued that it met, or exceeded, its obligations under the agreement when Visteon became independent in 2000.

The workers believe they were promised lifetime guarantees for their pensions from Ford and, following Visteon's collapse in March last year, Ford should honour this.

However, the workers, some of whom gave more than 30 years service to the plant, claim they are entitled to the same pension benefits after Visteon was set up that they received under Ford.

Mr Williams read an account of the meeting, written by Trevor Jones, who was in New York on their behalf.

He said Ford's chief financial officer Lewis Booth told them: "I am unable to meet your requests."

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The former car plant workers have received the backing of regional AMs Peter Black and Bethan Jenkins, who both attended last night's meeting.

After the meeting was told that Ford does not intend to back their claims, the discussion turned to legal proceedings.

Mr Williams told his former colleagues that attention would now turn to legal proceedings in an effort to force Ford to support them.

Now, in an effort to gather supportive evidence, the campaign is appealing to all the employees who worked for Ford at the time of the transfer to Visteon to recall meetings they had and advice they received on pensions.

Mr Williams said: "If you were in a meeting and somebody told you before the spin-off (creation of Visteon) to transfer your pension, send an email."

Last week, following a major protest outside the Assembly, regional secretary Andy Richards said: "Unite will firmly support ex-Visteon workers fighting for pension justice.

"Ford made copper- bottomed promises to the workers before they were transferred to Visteon, and we intend to hold them to these promises."