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Factory workers continue protest | Factory workers continue protest |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Sacked workers from the car components firm Visteon are continuing to occupy a factory in Belfast. | Sacked workers from the car components firm Visteon are continuing to occupy a factory in Belfast. |
Protesting staff at the firm also staged a rooftop protest at a plant in Enfield, London while others held a sit-in in Basildon in Essex. | Protesting staff at the firm also staged a rooftop protest at a plant in Enfield, London while others held a sit-in in Basildon in Essex. |
They claim the company's former owner, Ford, had promised redundancy contracts which they now want to see honoured. | They claim the company's former owner, Ford, had promised redundancy contracts which they now want to see honoured. |
Jimmy Kelly of the Unite union said they were to have talks with Ford representatives on Thursday in London. | Jimmy Kelly of the Unite union said they were to have talks with Ford representatives on Thursday in London. |
"We are hoping that some progress can be made," he said. | "We are hoping that some progress can be made," he said. |
The General Secretary of Unite, Tony Woodley, will lead the talks with a senior representative of Ford Europe. | |
The Visteon workers want their guarantees on pay and conditions, when the company was established out of Ford nine years ago, to be honoured. | |
Visteon protesters stage a sit-in | Visteon protesters stage a sit-in |
Visteon had a total workforce of 610 in the United Kingdom. Five hundred and sixty five of them were sacked on Tuesday. | Visteon had a total workforce of 610 in the United Kingdom. Five hundred and sixty five of them were sacked on Tuesday. |
The administrators, KPMG, said it had no alternative but to close the factories. | |
The company said remaining employees would assist the administrators in "the orderly wind down of the business". | The company said remaining employees would assist the administrators in "the orderly wind down of the business". |
It added that the UK business had not been profitable "since its incorporation in 2000" and Visteon UK's reported losses totalled £669m. | It added that the UK business had not been profitable "since its incorporation in 2000" and Visteon UK's reported losses totalled £669m. |
Robert Fitch, the shop steward for the Unite union at the Basildon plant, said staff were facing financial hardship. | Robert Fitch, the shop steward for the Unite union at the Basildon plant, said staff were facing financial hardship. |
"They've basically said the business is no longer here, you're not getting anything. | "They've basically said the business is no longer here, you're not getting anything. |
"You have to write to the government and the administrators to try and get some help, but next week I won't be getting a pay packet and I've got all my bills to pay." | "You have to write to the government and the administrators to try and get some help, but next week I won't be getting a pay packet and I've got all my bills to pay." |