Action Alert: Contact Ford to Support Belfast Auto Workers Facing Redundancy

The auto parts company Visteon (a spin-off of Ford) just announced that
it will be closing its Belfast plant (at Finaghy Road North), and that
all 210 employees will be made redundant. Though Visteon is a
spin-off, Ford continues to control the products produced at the West
Belfast factory, and Ford is the sole customer of parts manufactured at
the Belfast site.

Unfortunately, the Belfast employees have been offered NOTHING in the
way of redundancy or retirement packages–they have been told to go to
the unemployment exchange and get whatever the state will pay. Many of
those affected have worked for Visteon/Ford at the Belfast location for
30+ years. Workers have been occupying the Belfast factory since
Tuesday, demanding only that Ford honor their agreement and give them
the same terms as the other Ford plants in the UK (who, unlike their
counterparts, are being offered redundancy and retirement packages.

Gerry Adams was to speak to John Fleming, CEO of Ford Europe,
today. The workers at the Belfast plant have asked their friends and
supporters in Irish America to contact Alan Mulally, President and CEO
of Ford Motor Company, to ask him to support the loyal Belfast
employees and to honor their previous agreement with regard to
redundancy.

Let Mr. Mulally know that Irish Americans are aware of the rich
history of Ford’s investment in Ireland, from the Ford family’s roots
in Ireland, to the establishment of Ford & Son Limited in Cork,
through to the present day. Many believe that it was Henry Ford that
started Ireland on the road to industry. Top level Ford employees,
such as Denis McSweeney of Ford Ireland look upon Ford as “an Irish
company with a large American branch,”—or as we like to think, an
American company with an Irish heart.

As Irish American activists, we recognize that a stable and sustainable
economy is a necessary component of a just and lasting peace. Though
it may be too late to save the Belfast plant–particularly in these
troubled economic times–it is not too late to encourage Mulally and
the powers-that-be at Ford to do what is right for the Belfast
workers. Remind Mr. Mulaly that the Visteon Ford plant has called West
Belfast
home for 40 years, and for 40 years employees at the plant have
demonstrated their loyalty and support for the company–and made sure
it stayed open–even during
times of violent conflict that no other plant had to endure.

Please direct your letters and calls of support to:

Alan Mulally, President and CEO
Ford Motor Company
P.O. Box 685
Dearborn, MI 48126-0685

800-392-3673