Visteon bankruptcy judge denies request to halt termination of retiree health benefits

Visteon judge won’t halt benefits termination

WILMINGTON, Del. — A Delaware bankruptcy judge has refused to halt implementation of his order allowing auto parts supplier Visteon Corp. to terminate its retirees’ health and life insurance benefits.

An attorney representing some 2,100 people who worked at two Visteon plants in Indiana argued Tuesday that many are facing hardship, and that the order should be stayed pending an appeal to a federal district court judge.

But an attorney for Visteon, a top supplier to and a former subsidiary of Ford Motor Co., said the appeal is bound to fail, and that further delays will cause confusion for retirees exploring other health plans in advance of the April 1 termination.

The judge sided with Visteon, noting that his prior ruling was based on solid factual and legal foundations.