WORKERS at Southampton's Ford Transit factory are hoping for a bumper pay settlement this year.

Unions representing thou-sands of workers at car giant Ford around the country are to seek a "substantial'' pay rise, two hours off the working week and retirement on full pension after 30 years.

A pay claim covering 19,000 hourly-paid employees, includ-ing almost 2,000 at Swayth-ling's Wide Lane factory, will be handed to the company next month, and will be close-ly watched by union negotia-tors throughout the motor industry.

The Ford deal has traditionally been a pace-setter, setting a target for unions at other firms.

The unions are continuing to press for retirement on full pension after 30 years, a claim they have unsuccessfully made for the past few years.

The eventual deal is likely to be for two years and is expected to be given to Ford's 8,000 white collar staff as well as manual workers.

Duncan Simpson, national officer for the motor industry at the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, said: "Our members at Ford have worked productively over the past two years and we are looking for them to be rewarded for their efforts.''

The current two-year deal at Ford ends in November.

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