Further Meta redundancies demand strategy to protect jobs
Further Meta redundancies demand strategy to protect jobs - The Labour Party
- Tech sector contagion must be managed
Labour’s enterprise spokesperson George Lawlor TD has called on Minister Burke and Minister of State Smyth to develop a strategy to protect tech jobs as the contagion of redundancies continues to spread in the sector.
Deputy Lawlor said:
“This is a deeply worrying and stressful time for anyone employed by Meta and I firstly want to express my solidarity with those people working there, their families and their communities. Reports suggest that Irish-based staff are receiving details of how this latest round of job cuts will impact them this morning.
“Minister Burke must work with Meta to ensure fairness is applied and to protect jobs and livelihoods where possible. We need to see a comprehensive plan in place for the State to help secure jobs and protect worker’s incomes in the event their employer and sector faces a downturn or a change in business model.
“For many years the Labour Party has been calling for the introduction of a short term work scheme which would ensure that workers would not face a cliff edge drop in income if put on temporary layoff. Labour finance spokesperson Ged Nash has frequently highlighted the need for Ireland to emulate the German example of the Kurzarbeit where employer and the State co-fund the income payable for the days not worked.
“It is not just workers who are directly employed by these companies which are affected either. The cumulative effect of these cuts are devastating for families and for people who are indirectly employed by the tech industry are too.
“Combined with spiralling food, fuel, energy, and housing prices, and the shameful rental changes that are increasing rents and driving evictions, this is a very worrying time for working people in the sector, and indeed across the country.
“Last week, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil voted against Labour’s emergency mini-Budget proposals which would put money back in the pockets of PAYE workers. It is not a panacea but it would provide some certainty to workers as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.”