Fight for Ford/Visteon Pensions Continues

The Visteon Pensioners Action Group has staged a second protest outside the Bridgend Ford plant:


The campaigners have set up a lively web site at www.visteonpensionactiongroup.co.uk and are asking everyone to sign a petition on the Number 10 web site.

UNITE is supporting legal action as part of the campaign.

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Defend Our Pensions

My union branch (UNITE, Greater Manchester IT) has called a "Defend Our Pensions" public meeting in Manchester on 2nd November. We've got a got range of speakers to cover public and private sector pensions, as well as the state pension. The meeting will be taking place shortly after the result of our industrial action ballot at Fujitsu is announced. There's a leaflet here.

I've been sent this photo from an impressive looking protest by the Swansea Visteon Pensioners Action Group outside a Ford showroom.
If you're a Facebook user, you can join the "Defend Our Pensions" group.

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Reinstate Rob Williams - the fight is on!

I've just heard the wonderful news that UNITE members at Linamar (formerly Ford, then Visteon) in Swansea have voted by 88% for strike action to oppose the sacking of their convenor, Rob Williams. This vote comes despite a concerted campaign of threats and "promises" from management.

Now the members have shown their determination not to sell their terms and conditions or to allow their union organisation to be beheaded, it is up to all of us in the trade union movement to match their courage with our support and solidarity.

I previously posted the details of where to send messages and donations. Please make them pour in.

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Reinstate Rob Williams

All trade unionists should be supporting the campaign for the reinstatement of Rob Williams, the UNITE convenor at Linamar (formerly Ford, then Visteon) in South Wales.

Linamar sacked Rob in the most disgraceful circumstances - blatant victimisation of a well known figure in the trade union movement. Usually in these circumstances, employers try to hide their intention to slash terms and conditions for the workforce once they have beheaded the union. This time it's out in the open.

Rob played an important part in raising solidarity for his former colleagues at Visteon, and is also vice-chair of the National Shop Stewards Network.

For more information, see http://www.unitedleft.org/2009/05/rob-williams-sacked-step-up-struggle.html or on Facebook or call Rob on 07816134690.

Continue to phone protests to:
Head of Swansea Linamar Brian Wade 01792 656339
Personnel Manager 01792 656238

Messages of protest to linda.hasenfratz@linamar.com
Messages of support to Rob Williams: robbo@redwills.freeserve.co.uk

Unite members in the Swansea Plant are balloting for strike action to force management to reinstate Rob. They are appealing to the trade union movement to contribute to their hardship fund. Make cheques payable to "TGWU branch 4/1" – c/o 31, Waun Wen Terrace, Swansea SA1 1DX or pay into Unity Trust Bank - sort code 086001 account number 20055051.

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A lot's been happening!

Apologies for a long absence from posting on this web site. It's not been because there's been nothing to say - I've been moving house, had a death in the family, and been very busy with some issues in my own workplace.

The recession has continued to rip through the economy, but we are at last beginning to see a response. The "Put People First!" demonstration at the G20 summit saw the biggest contingents of trade unionists marching in a long time. The same week we saw the workers at Visteon (the outsourced Ford components company) go into occupation against closure - a fight that is continuing and which deserves all our support.

Within UNITE we had the General Secretary elections, with Derek Simpson re-elected, but on a very poor vote, and left candidate Jerry Hicks coming second with a very impressive vote. The left groupings in Amicus and TGWU have finally come together as the United Left. The process of setting up the lay structures of the new union grinds on very slowly.

We had an Executive Council meeting in March, for which there's an unofficial report on Gill George's blog. I can provide a copy of the official report (not minutes) by email to members who want it.

UNITE has called a national "Unite For Jobs" demonstration over jobs in Birmingham on 16th May, and is laying on transport from round the country. Everyone should be there.

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Opposing 3400 UK job cuts at HP

UNITE is starting a campaign over the massive proposed job cuts at HP, which took over EDS not so long ago.

In the current economic climate I think it is incredibly important that the union doesn't just deal with redundancies in the same way we might have a year ago. The consequences of redundancy for individuals are much more severe as we go into recession. But also the options for resistance have got wider. Firstly the ideological prop of "market forces" to justify decisions that hurt working people has got a lot weaker. Secondly the scope for gaining widespread support from across the movement and the public has grown. Thirdly the potential to pressure the government to intervene is much wider.

These relatively favourable conditions may not continue indefinitely - a significant rise in unemployment could make it harder to fight job losses. It is crucial that we try to draw a line now and that the whole movement piles in behind any group prepared to fight job cuts.

Is the action of the Ford Southampton workers the beginning of something bigger?

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