Workers occupy car parts factories in England and Northern Ireland

[Hannah Bell]

By Steve James
4 April 2009

Hundreds of workers at car parts maker Visteon have launched occupations and sit-in protests at three of the company's sites. Up to 200 workers are occupying the Finaghy plant in west Belfast, 130 are on the roof and around the premises in Enfield, North London, while protests are ongoing at Basildon, Essex.

The occupations follow the summary decision on Tuesday by the company's UK arm, formerly part of car giant Ford, to place itself in administration and sack 565 of its 610 workforce.

Workers, many with three decades of service, were given just moments to collect their belongings and leave. Summing up their experiences, a placard at the Basildon protest complained "20 Years Work, Zero Minutes Notice."

...Worldwide, the Michigan-based company employs some 33,500 workers. It narrowly avoided filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month, making a last-minute $16 million interest payment. Annual turnover is around $9.5 billion...The company operates in some 27 countries, with major manufacturing operations in China, Europe and North America. It also has operations in South Africa, Brazil and Argentina...

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/apr2009/occu-a04.shtml