Introduction to Micro Loans

Following on the recent information from Marian Harkin MEP on the new European Micro Financing Facility here is a video to whet your appetite.

Introduction to Micro Loans

Lifestyle Change Programme

The Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Limerick is offering an eight week "Lifestyle Change Programme" for former Dell employees. This programme is free of charge and will take place on Thursday mornings for two hours.

The programme aims to help people cope with unemployment. There will be sessions on; coping with loss of structure, developing healthy routines, stress management and career exploration. Places are limited, if you are interested in attending please register at:The TusNua website

More Workers and New Skills Needed

Skills Investment In ‘White Jobs’ Is A Must

The following information appeared in a newsletter forwarded to us by the EU Commission:

The term white jobs can be used to refer to those who work in the health and social services sector.

For more information Read

Entrepreneurial Resources

Today we added an additional section to our site.  You will notice in the leftside on the website there is the option of watching videos in YouTube under the heading "the entrepreneur". These are aimed particularly at those of you who have decided to go into business on your own. We hope these videos will be entertaining, educational and practical, that they will enable your to "Think Outside The Box".

Best of luck to you in your new ventures.

Congratulations to Regina & Alan Kelly MEP on the birth of their daughter Aoibhe Anne.

Congratulations to Regina & Alan Kelly MEP on the occasion of the birth of their daughter Aoibhe Anne in The Regional Hospital Limerick on Thursday June 17th 2010 at 9.15am. Aoibhe Anne weighed in at 8lbs 8ounces. Mother and Daughter are doing well.

The Dell Redundant Workers Association wish The Kelly Family Best of Luck in the Future. 

Update on the Micro Finance Facility

The following information was received from Marian Harkin MEP:
From: HARKIN Marian
Date: 17 June 2010 12:08
Subject: RE: query on Micro Finance
To: Dell Redundant Workers Association , Marian Harkin

To keep you up to date regarding the Microfinance facility and its implementation - I am organising a meeting in Brussels on 22nd June - next week between Credit Unions Managers Association, Credit Union Development Association, the Irish League of Credit Unions and the European Commission and European Investment Fund in order to go through the details relating to the implementation of the Microfinance facility in Ireland. I will draw up a short document after the meeting outlining what was said which I hope will clarify any questions you may have with regard to the Microfinance facility in Ireland and how people will be able to apply to access these loans.

I will be in touch with you shortly.

Thanking you.

Kind regards,

Marian Harkin

European Parliament
60, Rue Wiertz
B-1047 Brussels
Belgium

Tel: +32.2.2847797
Fax: +32.2.2849797
E-mail: marian.harkin@europarl.europa.eu
Website: www.marianharkin.ie

Movement by Limerick County Councillors to have Dell Redundant Workers Case moved to up the Political Agenda.

The following is a letter received from:

Cllr Pat Fitzgerald Limerick County Council on Thursday June 16th 2010:
Dear Brian,

Thank you for your bullet points with regard to what you are about, a very well documented briefing of the history of your origin. I will be compiling, in my own style, your cause in ensuring that the European Globalisation fund will be granted to your members who lost their jobs in the downgrading and relocation of the Dell operation at Raheen.

I discussed your situation with my fellow councilors – Brigid Teefy who is a fellow independent councilor, Thomas Hannon Labour county councilor who is very familiar with the Dell workers cause from the very outset and James Heffernan a Labour councilor based in Kilfinnane, and we have agreed to move a motion at the June meeting of Limerick County Council in the Council Chamber whereby we now call on the ‘Taoiseach’ to act immediately to reduce the bureaucracy and inflexibility by state agencies in the management and allocation of the European Globilisation Fund. This motion was signed by Councilor Thomas Hannon, Councilor Patrick Fitzgerald, Councilor Bridget Teefy and Councilor James Heffernan.

I will discuss with my fellow councilors, who proposed this motion, if they might consider agreeing to invite members of your association to attend as observers to see for yourselves the case being made whereby we will be seeking the full support of the entire council members in submitting the motion to the Taoiseach.

I intend to meet with some elected members of government deputies to see if it is possible to meet with Minister Mary Coughlan who I believe is fully responsible for the Dell Globalisation Fund. ‘Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained’.

You can be sure of our full support at all times.

Best Regards,

Patrick C. Fitzgerald

Updated list of companies entitled to EGF Fund

Updated list of companies entitled to EGF Fund

Kemmy Business School University of Limerick

The following online Prospectus was forwarded to us for your information. Kemmy Business School University of Limerick
Certificate in Management, Diploma in Management

Upcoming Report on European Delegation which met the Dell Redundant Workers Association

As reported on Limerick Live95FM Marian Harkin(MEP) had this to say:
There has been widespread criticism of the allocation of the 23 million fund during a European Delegation visit to Limerick.

To date only 2 million euro has been spent, with little under 15 months to go to spend the remaining funds.Listen to Marian

And Sean Kelly(MEP) added:
The government must be taken out of the equation...Listen to Sean

Entrepreneurs On The Up

Referring to the above heading this relates to an article in this weeks Sunday Business Post. It stated in the article that one in six Irish people want to start their own business. This is according to a survey by recruitment company Kelly. The article highlights the need for additionalsupport for would be Entrepreneurs Read here for more information

Redundancy -The Real Issues

The Dell Redundant Workers Association is holding an Information Seminar for the Public Representatives in Limerick on Saturday 12th June ’10 entitled:

"Redundancy -The Real Issues"
Venue:South Court Hotel, Limerick. Sat 12th June 2010
Opening by Cllr. David Naughton, Cathaoirleach Limerick Co. Council at 10.00am
Speakers who will make a presentations:

Jan O’Sullivan TD Labour Party

Dr Tom Turner UL

Kieran O’Donnell TD Fine Gael

Peter Power TD Fianna Fail (Minister of State)

Alan Kelly MEP Labour Party

Cllr Denis McCarthy Fine Gael

Followed by questions and answers.

The impact on the individual, on families and on the community as a whole, through job losses at the likes of Dell, Waterford Crystal, SR Technics, Quinn, Pfizer etc is devastating.

Our members are most welcome to take the opportunity to meet with their local representatives.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Press Release EGF

The following is a Press Release from The European Parliament:
A delegation of MEPs from the European Parliament's Employment Committee will arrive in Ireland this evening to look at the implementation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, which was recently made available to the former Dell workers in Limerick. The delegation aims to get a better insight into the impact of the Fund and to get first-hand information about practical issues such as application procedures, the manner in which the funds compliment co-financing by other national/EU funds and levels of satisfaction from the different parties involved.

The Chairperson of the Delegation, French MEP Elisabeth Morin-Chartier, who will draft the European Parliament's position on the 'financing and functioning' of the Fund, said that 'the European Globalisation Fund is an instrument targeting workers. We must improve its efficiency, speed up the delivery of aid and provide the fund with its own resources.'

The official delegation will include Independent MEP, Marian Harkin, Labour Party MEP Proinsias De Rossa, Socialist Party MEP, Joe Higgins and Dutch MEP Marije Cornelissen. Other Irish MEPs, including Labour Party MEP Alan Kelly and Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly, will also participate in some of the meetings (please see attached programme).

On Thursday, 3 June, the delegation will meet with representatives of IBEC and ISME. They will meet with David Begg and Jack O'Connor of ICTU and with the members of the Oireachtas Joint Employment Committee. In the afternoon, they will meet with representatives of the Department of Education and FÁS and with representatives from the ESRI and from NESC.

On Friday, 4 June, the delegation will be in Limerick, where it will meet with representatives of the Dell Redundant Workers Association and Equal Rights for Non-Union Workers. They will also meet with the Midwest Regional Authority and with Shannon Development.

Notes:
1. In November 2009, the European Parliament approved the payment of €14.8 million from the European Globalisation Fund to Ireland's Midwest region for the 2840 workers who were affected by Dell's decision to relocate its operations to China and other Asian countries.

2. The European Parliament's Budgetary Committee is expected to approve an application for assistance to 598 workers in the South East Region of Ireland affected by Waterford Crystal's closure. An application for assistance to workers affected by SR Technics's move from Dublin is also under consideration.

3. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund has been in operation since 2007. In May 2009, the European Parliament voted to change the rules, to make the aid available to a larger group of people having lost their jobs. In practice, this meant lowering the eligibility threshold from 1000 to 500 redundancies and widening the scope to include job losses due to the financial crisis. The number of applications from Member States has since escalated - from 5 in 2008 to 29 in 2009.

Measures financed by the fund include:
· assistance in seeking a job, occupational guidance, tailor-made training and re-training including ICT skills and certification of experience acquired, outsourcing of assistance and entrepreneurship promotion or aid for self-employment;

· special time-limited measures, such as job seekers allowances, mobility allowances or allowances to individuals participating in lifelong learning and training activities;

· measures to stimulate in particular disadvantaged or older workers, to remain in or return to the labour market.

ENTITLEMENT to The European Globalisation Fund

EDIT: This information is out of date, the companies that were added were removed again as it was against regulation. Only the employees companies on the application the Government submitted to Europe for approval are eligible.

For the current list see the EGF Eligible companies link at the top of the blog.

The following forms the list of companies declared eligible for the EGF in June 2010, the list was revised down to the original 9 companies in just a month.

• Dell Products
• Banta Global Turnkey
• Aeroboard
• Axiom Enterprises
• Cube Printing
• Dutex
• Federal Security
• Irish Cargo Express
• Novo Strat
• Rehab Logistics
• RPS Printing
• Sercom
• Sodexo
• U.P.S.

If you are a former member of any of the above companies and have not received notification from The EGF Office please make contact with The Dell Redundancy Association, 31/32 Upper William Street, Limerick. 061317843/email: dellrwa@gmail.com