Visteon Occupation Statement by Green Left

Green Left has issued the following statement on the occupation of the Visteon factory by workers in north London which I fully endorse.


"Green Left pledges its support and solidarity with the Visteon workers who have taken occupation of their factory to mark their defiance against losing their jobs at short notice, without wages owed or compensation. Green Left also rejects any attempts by the parent company to use the economic crisis as an excuse to impose reduced conditions upon the workers in order to protect the interests of their shareholders.

In a week that has revealed figures indicating the biggest drop in UK industrial production in four decades - including a 12.5% drop in output on the previous year in February alone, the biggest loss since records began - it is clear that it is the workers who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.

Instead of redundancy and a sense of alienation, we need our skilled workforce to help build a sustainable alternative to the current mode of production, not throw them onto the scrapheap. Their vital skills can be used to produce socially and environmentaly useful components, and to build the public transport and renewable energy infrastructure that is essential to achieving this sustainable alternative. In the same spirit that inspired the Lucas Aerospace workers in 1976 to democratically organise and plan to convert production from military equipment to socially useful products, Green Left strongly supports any move by the Visteon workers to organise to develop their own strategy, and to use their skills to produce for the benefit of people and planet, and not be dictated to by the drive to produce profits.

Green Left supports the Visteon workers in their struggle, and other workers who take a similar action to defend their jobs against the self-interest of those who exploit them for profit.

Workers for the world unite."

Andy Hewett
Green Left Steering Group