Tuesday, March 31, 2009
“there’s only so much you can do, isn’t there?”
Two other Visteon car component factories are also to close in Basildon and Enfield in England, with 565 out 600 jobs lost, but the workers at the west Belfast factory are staging a sit-in protest after the US-based parent company announced that Visteon UK Ltd was entering into administration. And from the BBC report
West Belfast MP Gerry Adams expressed his “deep disappointment”. “Sinn Féin has been liaising closely with the management of Visteon and with the local workforce. “Our goal throughout has been to retain much needed local employment and defend the rights of the Visteon workers,” he said. “Ford are directly implicated in the future of the Belfast plant, as its sole customer and former owner. If the local workforce is to be told that the plant no longer has a future, Sinn Féin will insist that the management of Ford explain this fate.”
I’d suggest Ford being the “sole customer” and the state of the car industry globally explains the fate of the factory. [Where’s Squinter? - Ed] Indeed.
On Stormont Live today Sinn Féin MLA Jennifer McCann gave her reaction.
Pete Baker @ 03:37 PM
Solidarity to the workers at Visteon. Let us hope they save some of the jobs or at least get a better settlement. Their treatment at the hands of management has been shocking.
Posted by on Mar 31, 2009 @ 05:07 PM“Sinn Féin has been liaising closely with the management of Visteon…” Would that be the same way that Trevor Clarke was liasing with Asda management here ?
No role for INI here. Or for Gerry. Jennifer should have shrugged her shoulders and said “yeah Mark”. Outcomes? Jobs Fair from DEL. Paltry re-training monies made available.
From what the MLA said, I smell more local slanging for INI. “...see what more INI could have done to….” etc etc etc.
Nineteensixtyseven, having seen 1000 workers put out of their jobs at first hand, all I can say is - they all get shafted the same way.
Posted by on Mar 31, 2009 @ 06:26 PMWhoops! I missed this gem! “Sinn Féin will insist that the management of Ford explain this fate.”
What, are they deliberately TRYING to mock the local workforce or something? Bad enough losing your job without this comedic statement following after…
Posted by on Mar 31, 2009 @ 06:28 PMDon’t be silly , Raven.
Some groups can <strike>make offers that can’t be refused</strike> ask questions that can’t be denied.Posted by on Mar 31, 2009 @ 07:28 PM
