We are Marching, Marching, Marching.....

Tomorrow many of us will be boarding big city-bound coaches early in the morning to join protests against the proposed cuts in public sector pensions. Alongside marchers including members of the NHS and NUT will be members of the Visteon Pension Action Group [VPAG] who are 'celebrating' the third anniversary of VisteonUK's descent into administration which meant that their pensions entered the PPF process and consequently these pensioners lost up to 40% of their wages despite statements made by Ford in 2000 when 'coercing' its employees to join the new 'spun off' company, VisteonUK.

UK pensioners as a whole have suddenly become the scapegoats for 'Austerity Britain' and in last week's budget it seemed as if we had almost gained the notoriety of the 'lets get at 'em' tranche of society. I heard a radio presenter suggest that because we Pensioners 'had it good in the 1970s' we should pay for it now. My recollection of the 1970s was of soaring mortgage rates, sky high house prices and petrol prices which seemed to go up every month. Other Half seemed to spend every weekend repairing our old banger so that he could get to work during the following week! And our friends were all in the same circumstances.

I thought you might like to see a few documents which VPAG are putting out this week: the Press Release/Handout and the letter that will be handed into 10 Downing Street en route. And please scroll right down to the bottom of page where you will find a link to the lovely Roy Bailey singing his version of 'Bread and Roses' which VPAG is dedicating to ALL marchers all over the UK tomorrow!

Press Release:

26th March 2012

3rd anniversary of Visteon UK shock closure – the pension fight continues

3 years on the campaign to restore pension rights promised before Ford transferred 3,400 employees to the doomed Visteon UK continues with a protest at Westminster Wednesday 28th March at midday. A protest letter will be delivered to Downing Street with speeches to follow from senior UNITE leaders, Visteon Pension Action Group leaders and Political representatives. The protest will be joined by NUT (London) members who are taking a day of action will also be at Westminster and come together with us over the sensitised issue of pensions.

Remember, Pensions are deferred wages and kept in trust until retirement, in many cases this trust has been broken.

Over 200 Ex Visteon UK workers and pensioners will gather from Wales, Belfast, Enfield and Basildon to reinforce the demands directed at Ford to restore pensions earned and paid for with Ford and transferred to the daughter company, Visteon – only to discover later that Visteon UK was a major loss maker before separation and with worsening prospects once cut adrift from Ford. With the closure of Visteon UK in 2009 the pension scheme passed into the Governments lifeboat scheme – the Pension Protection Fund carrying a £350 million shortfall in funding. Only plan sit-ins lasting 6 weeks extracted some compensation to redundant workers.

The fight to make Ford deliver commitments continues with pressure from many MPs, Euro MPs, and a legal challenge by the UNITE Union representing the large majority of the pensioners. Dates have been set in the High Court to pursue the claims against Ford – the position Ford presently takes is one denying any responsibility whilst failing to provide any evidence so far to dismiss the claim.

The action by Ford in creating Visteon UK is seen by many as a contrivance by Ford to dump component manufacturing operations as it ceased to be central to its business or remain competitive a fact hidden to employees – this finally resulted in Visteon UK bankruptcy.

In the UK the Pension Regulator, Pensions Ombudsman and Pension Protection Fund have all failed to deliver justice for the Visteon UK fund mismanagement or recover losses from Visteon Corporation in the US, as a result the UK pensioners are the only group in the global operations to be affected.

Our protest events now number 200 – each one brings widespread public support in locations like Westminster, Party Conferences, Belfast, The Welsh Assembly, Enfield, Bridgend, Ford dealerships, Dagenham, even the premier of the Made in Dagenham Film. Whilst Ford struggles to make money from sales in Europe its UK presence is strong but each protest challenges Fords credibility and it position to continue in its number one UK sales position.

Names & contacts:
Dennis Varney 07704 805777
Andy Belch 07821 196777
Paul Bailey 078666 36984
www.visteonpensionactiongroup.co.uk

pictures from prior events: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjtm3zG4

Letter to David Cameron

28th March 2012

Dear Prime Minister,

We trust that you will already be aware of the unfair treatment of Visteon Pensioners and I enclose House of Commons library briefing doc ref 1112-038.

Over two hundred ex Ford employees and Visteon UK (VUK)

Pensioners came to Downing Street today to request your support for government action that will see the 3400 VUK Pensioners achieve the pensions they saved for, and were promised in their occupational Pension scheme.

We have been let down by those systems established to protect us, many of us have lost up to 40% of our Pensions, some with over 35 years loyal service to The Ford Motor Company. The lack of regulation means that only those employees based in the UK have seen their Pensions decimated. All Visteon employees in the USA, France and Germany have had their Pensions protected.

We have been let down by The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS), The Pensions Regulator (tPR) and The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) who have approached this matter in a most disjointed manner and who appear to hide behind various restrictions in their ability to act, stating such phrases as: ‘we have been unable to look at events prior to 27th April 2004 due to constraints in the legislation’. ‘the required legal tests set out in the relevant statute are not met’. ‘we cannot establish an ‘association or connection’ (which has a specific legal definition)’. ‘whether or not we are able to take action is driven by the terms of our governing legislation’.

Despite requests from MP’s, the Minister of State for Pensions has declined to talk with us, and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has refused to meet with his VUK constituents on the grounds that he does not consider this to be a ‘constituency matter ‘? A growing number of MP’s from all parties have, however, understood the gravity of our plight and the wider issues related to Multinationals abusing their powers in the UK.

The PPF has become a mere Pension ‘dumping ground’ and we would respectfully request, and indeed appreciate, the opportunity to meet with both yourself and Relevant Ministers in order to appraise you of the important ‘generic issues’ surrounding this injustice.

You recently stated…. ‘We believe passionately in fairness and rewarding people who do the right thing’….. we did the right thing , and your assistance is very gratefully and urgently required.

Yours most sincerely

The following song is dedicated to ALL marching tomorrow because surely ALL in our country deserve 'Roses and Bread' and not just the very rich?