Visteon Enfield workers voted to leave their week-long occupation today, Thursday 9 April, on advice from their union (Unite had done a deal earlier in the week that kept the convenor Kevin Nolan and deputy convenor Piers Hood out of prison, in return for agreeing that the occupation would end at noon on Thursday). Some in the occupation wanted to stay, but abided by the majority decision. All the workers were applauded as they left the factory by about 300 supporters who had gathered for a rally. The union is due to have talks with Visteon management who are coming over from the US for a meeting on Tuesday. The Enfield Visteon Unite convenor Kevin Nolan will be in those talks.
The workers don't feel that they have lost, but are regrouping - time will tell. They didn't want the violence that might have ensued from defying the order to leave the factory. They have decided to mount a permanent picket of the factory to stop the management moving out machinery - or opening up again with a new workforce. Both of these are rumoured as possibilities.
A support group has been established to continue and to better organise the considerable solidarity that has already been shown. Website address is www.visteonoccupation.org - the site is hosted by lib.com.
Activities that the group is likely to carry out are: continuing to organise trips by Visteon workers to other Ford plants to press for boycotting of Visteon products, leafleting Ford dealerships, and deepening contcts with Unite activists, all in consultation with the Visteon workers themselves.
Belfast Visteon workers are still in occupation.
The Visteon workers at Enfield still need messages of support: visteonoccupation@gmail.com and donations; a rally has been called at the plant for this Saturday 11 April, from 11am, Morson Road, EN3 4TN. Nearest railway station: Ponders End.