Too little, too late
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Friday January 09 2009
THE knowledge that they have the sympathy of the entire country may provide some small comfort for the Dell workers and their families. Thousands of others will inevitably lose their jobs over the next 12 months as a direct consequence of the 1,900 Limerick redundancies, such is the importance of Dell business and Dell wage packets in the Mid-West region.
The fact that the company's intentions were an open secret for some time does nothing to ease the blow.
Redundancy payments will not stretch very far, especially for young couples with big mortgages. New jobs will be not be easily found in the current economic climate.
Indeed, the experience of each unfortunate Dell worker is likely to be shared by many thousands more before this recession is over. Acknowledging that the company's decision is a serious blow to the Irish economy, the American Chamber of Commerce, which represents US firms in Ireland, has warned that similar "disinvestments" by other multinational firms could be on the way.
A spokesman stressed the need to improve the country's competitiveness. It is a familiar mantra, and one which will do nothing to ease the pain of those who are losing their jobs to workers who will earn €3 per hour.
Many of those Poles, now based at the new Dell operation in Lodz, were trained by Irish workers whom they will now replace.
At its height, Dell was the country's second largest employer and the company remains an important contributor to the economy, with more than 1,000 jobs remaining in Limerick and 1,300 in Dublin.
The Tanaiste says that her department will swing into action this morning at a meeting with Dell management, along with representatives of the Industrial Development Association and FAS, the training authority.
The Defence Minister has intimated that new enterprises in the region may take on some of those about to lose their jobs.
The plan, such as it is, sounds a little rough and ready, and the Government stands accused of doing too little, too late. In fairness, the commercial decision to move to Poland was Dell's alone. However, despite the company's assertion that the decision was made only this week, the writing has been on the wall for years.
