Anger in air as Dell staff clock out for last time
MORE than 450 workers this Thursday afternoon left Dell for the last time as the computer giant's shutdown of its manufacturing division in Raheen brought its first casualties.
Another 1,500 manufacturing staff will be made redundant from Dell in quarterly stages over the next eight months, while at least 100 people in the back-up services area are also to lose their jobs, as the firm starts to shift its manufacturing base to Lodz, Poland.
This week's job losses – the first lot of 1,900 – are expected to trigger potentially thousands more redundancies in sub-supply and service firms across Limerick.
Over the last few weeks, anger has grown over the redundancy package Dell has offered to its workforce – and despite changes, there is still upset, with a labour relations appeal pending. This means many of the workers clocking out for the last time will have to wait for a redundancy settlement.
Fine Gael's Deputy Kieran O'Donnell will this Thursday afternoon in the Dail call on Finance Minister Brian Lenihan to ensure funding is in place to support the European Globalisation Fund, which will support those let go by Dell.
Mayor of Limerick John Gilligan said Dell's workers could leave the plant in Raheen "with their heads held high".
"It is very sad that these staff have been treated so disgracefully. Right up until the very end, Dell refused to discuss its long-term plans with the workers. The rules for workers there seem reminiscent of what brought the great lock-up in Dublin over 100 years ago," he said.
As Dell workers arrived at the massive plant in Raheen this Thursday morning, there was a sense of anger, regret, and still fear – with many workers declining to be identified.
Arriving by bike, Tony O'Shea, of the Dell Workers Representative Group, one of the 450 workers leaving the plant, revealed a special meeting was held for staff members on Wednesday afternoon.
"Sean Corkery (head of Dell's manufacturing operation in Europe] held a meeting yesterday to talk to those people who are leaving, and it was so patronising.
"It was incredulous for us to listen to. He told us we had been very professional and upheld our integrity. And thanks to our professionalism we would have no trouble finding another job. There was not a single sound."
We all know the problems in relation to finding new employment. Workers know this year won't be a problem - they will be able to pay back their bills with the redundancy pay. But it will be next year, and the year after that where there is a problem. I don't want to lose hope. I am going back to college to study energy management, and I just hope that results in a job," said Mr O'Shea who has worked in Raheen for eight years.
One man, who only gave the name Sean, revealed he will also be returning to college.
"I'm a bit sad, but its a chance to take a new opportunity. I'm happy with the redundancy package on offer, especially when they changed it.
I am going back to college to train as an archaeologist," he said.
The jobs task force set up with Denis Brosnan at the helm will publish its first report next month - but with Limerick's unemployment figures published this Friday set to show an alarming growth in those out of work, its options appear limited.
Deputy O'Donnell added: "It's incumbent upon us as politicians for this city that no stone is left unturned for people to find employment. We need IDA-backed jobs now. They have let this region down. The jobs task force must contain an action plan which should be put into immediate effect. We have moved beyond an interim report at this stage."
Since Dell announced it was to pull its manufacturing business from Limerick in January, RR Donnelley, and Flextronics, major sub-suppliers to the firm have cut their workforces, and further redundancies are expected to be made over the next eight months. More than 8,000 staff look set to be impacted across this region.
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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