National Conference: Right to Work Campaign

A National Conference to establish a Right to Work campaign is being organised for Saturday, 22nd May at UNITE Hall, 55-56 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1. Starts 12am.

According to the organisers:

"At present nearly a half of a million people are unemployed on this small island. The spectre of mass emigration has also begun to return. The lives and talents of our young people are being wasted as nearly one in three is thrown on the scrap heap.

Despite billions spent on banks, governments on both sides of the border protest that they can do little to create jobs. Their only message is leave everything to the market and promote competitiveness through wage cuts and reductions in social welfare.

We disagree.

Cutting wages and incomes has only deepened the recession. Each month brings more reports of falling tax revenues, lengthening dole queues and economic failure. Income cuts mean people have less money to buy goods that keep others in work. Every job loss, wage cut or social welfare cut contributes to further job losses. 

We are, therefore, calling for a major Right to Work Conference to bring together trade unionists, community groups, unemployed organisations, anti-poverty campaigners and concerned citizens. Our aim is to build a broad movement that uses people power to reverse current economic policies.

We invite you to support this conference and contribute your ideas and experiences to getting such a movement going. We suggest the following as some of the basic principles that might inform the campaign:

1. For a public works programme to provide jobs at proper pay rates - Instead of bailing out bankers, we need to create jobs.
2. Open higher education to the unemployed. Oppose the government attempt to deprive those on the Back to Education Scheme of grants.
3. No repossessions of the homes of those made unemployed.
4. Stop cut backs in social welfare, social services, community and arts programmes – defend the minimum wage."

For further information contact the Right to Work campaign. E-mail: righttowork@live.com      Telephone: 087 2604143. You can download the full text of the statement and conference booking form here. 

Research Study on the Affects of Unemployment in Ireland

Unemployment – The Irish Experience  

This UCD (University College Dublin) research study, in which you are invited to participate in, is focused on examining the well-being of a group within Irish society – the unemployed.

The study has an over-arching aim of capturing what it is like to be unemployed in Ireland at the beginning of 2010 – of putting a human face on the recession. In listening to your thoughts, perspectives and lived-experiences of joblessness, a snapshot of how a period of joblessness can affect your well-being will be acquired. In painting a picture of joblessness, your participation in the study will, it is hoped, shed light on how your material, emotional, psychological and physical well-being is being affected during this period in your life.

Participation in this research takes the form of a group discussion, and is entirely voluntary. A group discussion should be viewed as a form of guided conversation, where, you the participant, facilitated by a researcher, have the opportunity to discuss issues which are important and meaningful to you at this time. In this format, questions will be put to the group as a whole and not to individual persons. Each discussion will be 60–90 minutes in duration. As a gesture of appreciation for your participation in the discussion, you will receive a monetary sum (€ 10).

Furthermore, for the purposes of accuracy, the discussion will be recorded using a digital voice recorder. All information gathered will be treated as confidential and in order to maintain your anonymity, all identifying information (e.g. names, places) will be removed from any documents resulting from the data.

To conclude, if you would like to take part in this research, or you would like further information, feel free to get in touch with us…
-------
If you are interested in taking part in this project please forward your name and contact details to The Job Seekers Union - ucdresearch@thejobseekersunion.com 

Whose Recession Is It Anyway? part v - What Has Happened?

I’m hoping you can help me solve a mystery that’s been occupying my mind lately. I’ve been wondering what is happening to all the people who are losing their jobs?

So far 115,000 people have lost their job in Ireland this year. We are told half a million of us could be unemployed by Christmas. That’s over six Croke Park’s full of people, or more than three times the entire population of County Meath, looking for a job. That’s a massive amount of people. How come we never near from them?

I’m not being flippant; I just find it strange that so many people have lost their jobs without even a murmur of what’s happened to them all.

We’re told the 1980’s were bad. Indeed they were; our young people left in droves to find work in Britain, America, Canada and Australia. I remember the ‘send off’ parties which were a strange mixture of fund raising, bon voyage and tears. Well if things were bad then, they are far worse now.

1985 was the worst year for job losses in those bad old days; 24,000 people lost their job in the 12 months of that year. By contrast 36,500 people lost their job in the single month of January 2009 alone. I was one of them.

For those who lost your job in January, your ten month anniversary has just passed. Almost a year on the dole folks, hard to believe isn’t it? Should I be offering congratulations or commiserations?

Back to my question then, ‘What has happened to all those people?’ Have they found jobs? Have they gone to Australia or Canada, or some other place where things aren’t so bad? Have they just settled for unemployment, accepted their lot so to speak? Are they just marking time until their redundancy cheques run out? Is the dole enough to live on? Are they happily sunning themselves (between the showers) in their back gardens? Are they bored and depressed and devoid of hope? Or are they working away on the black market, pulling in nixers and living the life of Reilly? What about the migrant workers, have they gone back to Poland, Lithuania or Latvia? What has happened to everyone?

This recession and the consequent huge number of job losses is arguably the biggest social catastrophe to hit Ireland since the famine; yet we know almost nothing about what is happening to the people most affected by it. I think it’s amazing that hundreds of thousands of our population could be thrown out of their job and then just disappear. No-one seems to be protesting, there’s been no Jarrow style marches, no picketing of TDs’ offices; nothing seems to have happened.

I set up The Job Seekers Union to give a voice to unemployed people. I wanted to create local job clubs to help job seekers support each other, to come together to generate work perhaps on a co-operative basis. I expected to be flooded with applicants; it’s free to join after all. I have to say, I’ve been surprised at the lack of interest. It makes me wonder, have the unemployed found a contentment that the rest of the population doesn’t know about? They have after all, been christened the ‘Fun-employed.’ Could it really be true; is it fun to be unemployed? Somehow I don’t think so; certainly not if my experience is anything to go by.

Maybe we’ve all lost our tongues? Perhaps we’re ashamed or embarrassed to speak out? Maybe that stigma of being without a job still holds true? Whatever it is; it’s still amazing that such a huge percentage of our population could suffer something as profound as losing their job, yet we know so little about what has happened to them.

According to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, “You take my life when you do take the means whereby I live.” Is that true? Is losing your job a disaster?

County Meath has been particularly badly hit by unemployment. The commuter belt has gone a bit quiet this year; you only have to drive to Dublin on the N2 or N3 in the rush hour to see the impact of the recession. More than 10,000 people are signing on in Meath. We’d like to hear their stories. Tell us what it’s been like for you.

Write to David Jones. You can email me at david@thejobseekersunion.com.

Copyright © David Jones 2009

Part five of a five part series. For previous installments check the archive pages on The Job Seekers Blog. 

Whose Recession Is It Anyway? part iii - Getting a job in today’s recessionary times

Getting a job in today’s recessionary times isn’t easy. There are fewer vacancies around then there were in the boom times, but that doesn’t mean there are none. Some companies have closed down, but most are still in business. Many are still hiring staff, although they may not be advertising. That’s because they don’t have to as candidates are sending CVs to them.

Looking for a job is a job in itself – if you want a job, you must be prepared to work hard at finding one. Remember a dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.

If you want a job, you are going to have to approach finding one in a dedicated and diligent way. You’ve got to be highly motivated, focused and determined. Nothing less than hard graft and total commitment will suffice. Success will only come to those who really want it; and those who really want it are going to have to work hard if they are going to get it.

You need to approach job hunting as a project in itself; and like all projects you need to prepare a project plan.

Your project plan to find a new job needs to include the following:

• Preparing your CV
• Registering your details with recruitment websites and recruitment agencies
• Regularly visiting your local FAS office to review vacancies
• Regularly reviewing the local and national newspaper for vacancies
• Giving out your CV to local businesses
• Keeping a Job Hunters journal
• Keeping yourself busy whilst you are looking for a job

This is a tough assignment. You’re going to have to do things you’ve never done before. You’re going to have to be patient and accept that it will probably take time before you achieve success. You’re going to need a lot of self-determination and a strong will to succeed.

The only person you can rely on is yourself; only you can get you that job. You’re going to have to be your own supervisor, secretary, telephonist, filing clerk. You’re going to have to teach yourself to do things you haven’t done before. If you’re not computer literate, you’re going to have to learn to be.

If you approach this project with the right attitude, you will succeed. It’s just a matter of time and effort. Your efforts, if they are applied consistently, will get you a job. It’s a numbers game; the more you try, the more likely you are to succeed; it’s as simple as that.

So get your finger out, start working, put in the effort, and before you know it you’ll be back to work.

It is important to change your mindset away from being unemployed. You’re no longer unemployed or jobless; you’re job hunting.

When you meet people and they ask you, “What are you doing?” Tell them you are looking for a job. It’s far more positive than saying I’m unemployed.

Don’t just think of the impact your answer will have on other people, think of the effect it has on you. The sympathy that comes from answering “I’m unemployed,” is likely to depress you; whereas the encouragement that follows you saying “I’m job hunting,” is far more likely to motivate you and lift your spirits.

‘Unemployed’ is a poor-me kind of label to labour under; a hopeless, stagnant situation that sounds unlikely to ever change. ‘Job hunter,’ on the other hand, is a dynamic, action-man state of affairs that says I’m going to make things happen by doing something.

Being unemployed has negative connotations; it’s static, inactive and going nowhere. Being a job hunter on the other hand is positive; it’s active. Jobs are unlikely to come falling from the sky and land in your lap if you’re just sitting there waiting for something to happen; they’re far more likely to arrive at your door though, if you go out looking for them.

If you are receiving unemployment benefits, think of them as your wages whilst you are job hunting. Getting paid to look for another job is far more positive than surviving on subsistence.

Try to keep in mind there are only three kinds of people: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen; and those who wonder, what happened. What kind of person are you?

Copyright © David Jones 2009

Part three of a five part series. Part iv talks about 'dealing with rejection'.

Whose Recession Is It Anyway? part ii - Telling Family and Friends

I found it hard to accept it when I lost my job. I’d never been unemployed before. Telling family and friends was particularly hard. I felt like a failure.

You’d be amazed at the extent some people go to try to avoid people finding out they’ve lost their job. I answered a phone call at work once from a woman whose husband used to work in my office. He’d been let go about 6 weeks earlier. He hadn’t told anyone, not even his wife. She was phoning the office to tell her husband something important had happened to one of their children. Apparently he was leaving home every morning to go to work as usual, sandwiches and all. If the weather was good, he sat in the park until going home time. If it was raining, he went to the library. The poor woman got an awful shock when we had to explain to her that he didn’t work with us anymore. I have no idea what happened when he got home that night, but my heart went out to both of them.

People don’t want to tell the family because they’re ashamed. They feel a failure. They don’t want to burden them; they don’t want them to worry. The best advice is tell them immediately. They’ve a right to know. You losing your job will affect them almost as much as it affects you. They need to know the effect it’s going to have on them. They need to adjust their lifestyle, cut back. They need to spend less. They have a right to know.

Tell them you’ve lost your job. Tell them you are upset about this, but it’s not the end of the world. Explain things will need to be different. There will be less money, but you’re not going to starve or lose your house and nothing dreadful is going to happen. Reassure them that if you’re all sensible and adjust your spending then everything will work out ok.

Teenage children can find it particularly hard if their parent loses his or her job. They may be reluctant to tell their friend or social circle. Discuss this with them. Explain it isn’t a social stigma to lose your job anymore. Be understanding if they feel embarrassed or ashamed though. Don’t take it personally. They are at a vulnerable stage in their lives, blending in with the crowd and keeping up appearances are important to them.

If other members of the family are working, tell them they are the lucky ones and remind them how valuable jobs are these days. Don’t put pressure on them so they think they have to keep their job at all costs. Don’t prepare them for a guilt trip if they have the misfortune to lose their job in the future.

Coping with a problem on your own is far harder than sharing it with someone else. It may seem unfair to burden other people with your difficulties. Isn’t that what families are supposed to be all about?
‘A problem shared is a problem halved. There’s no problem so big, that it can’t be solved over a cup of tea.’

As for the neighbours, or other members of the golf club, or your mates in the pub? Tell them too. They’ll find out soon enough anyway. They’ll notice the change in your routine. Better to come out straight and tell them, than have them speculating about you behind your back.

Telling other people that you’ve lost your job is good therapy. It helps you get used to the idea and adjust to your new reality. Putting off the evil day just prolongs the agony.

You’d be surprised too how willing people are to help. In my opinion the Celtic Tiger destroyed one of Ireland’s traditional strengths - neighbourliness. Everyone has been so busy chasing the Tiger’s tail. The courtesies that Ireland was famous for have disappeared behind high wrought iron fences, security gates, CCTV and intercoms.

They say every cloud has a silver lining. Maybe this recession will give us back the Ireland that we once knew and loved. Some good must surely come out of all this doom and gloom.

Copyright © David Jones 2009

Second in a five part series. The next installment examines the hurdle of getting a job in today's recessionary times. 

Whose Recession Is It Anyway? part i - Losing your job

Losing your job in the current economic climate is a devastating experience. Your first reaction is obviously one of shock, followed by confusion. “What am I going to do?” is the first question on everyone’s mind; “How am I going to find another job?”

It takes a few days for it to really sink in. Telling your family and friends is difficult; unfortunately there is still a stigma attached to losing your job. There’s a huge sense of rejection; a feeling of not being wanted. Your mind keeps wondering, “Why me? What did I do wrong?”

It’s really important to remember that people are losing their jobs today through no fault of their own. They haven’t done anything wrong. It’s not their fault there’s a worldwide recession; they can do nothing about the banking crisis. People who are being made redundant are not being singled out because they are bad employees; they’re losing their jobs simply because their employer is facing financial difficulties. Their employer can no longer afford to keep employing them. It’s that simple.

I lost my job in January of this year; I know what it’s like. In my own case I found there was very little help available to tell me what to do. I’d never been unemployed before. I had no idea what my entitlements were; I didn’t know how to go about signing on or anything like that.

That’s why I wrote my book, Oh no; I’ve lost my job. What am I going to do? In a way it was a kind of therapy for me. Writing it gave me a sense of purpose, something positive to be doing. You’ll find my book in most of the local bookshops. [You can also purchase it online from the website of The Job Seekers Union. Price €4.99 plus P&P. - ed.] It tells you everything you need to know if you’ve lost your job; including how to deal with debts, how to get your spending under control; as well as your welfare entitlements and how to go about claiming them. There’s advice too on how to go about looking for another job; how to write your CV, prepare for an interview and so on.

As with everything in life; if you find yourself unemployed, it’s important to try to stay positive. Boredom can quickly lead to depression; so try to stay active and busy. Tackle those jobs around the house that you never got around to; get busy in the garden, take up a hobby.

No matter what your circumstances; it really is important to register with your local social welfare office. The sooner you sign on, the sooner your jobseekers benefit or jobseekers allowance can be processed. It’s takes a while for the first payment to come through, but it will be back dated to the date you first signed on.

If you are in financial difficulty while you are waiting for your benefits to come through, you can get temporary assistance from the Community Welfare Officer. You can find their number in the Phonebook under Community Welfare Services or call your Local Health Centre.

They say looking for a job is a job in itself. Unfortunately there aren’t many vacancies about at the moment, but there are some. Try to be positive, and remember nothing lasts forever. You might have sent off hundreds of CV’s and got no response so far, but you never know what’s around the corner; so don’t give up trying.

Losing your job needn’t be the end of the world; it may be the opportunity to re-invent yourself and do something you’ve always wanted to do. Maybe you’ve always wanted to start a new business, or take up studying? In my own case it gave me the chance to write a book, which I never thought I’d do. I’ve a second book written, so who knows, maybe it’s the start of a new career for me as an author? [David Jones' second book, The Pothole Republic is also available from The Job Seekers Union at a special discount price of €4.99 plus P&P. Click here for more info. - ed]

It’s hard to believe there are over 400,000 unemployed people in the country; that’s a massive number for a country as small as ours. I recently set up a self help organisation called The Job Seekers Union. You can check it out at www.thejobseekersunion.com.

Incidentally, feel free to write to me with your experiences of unemployment. I’m compiling a book of people’s stories which I hope to publish later in the year.

You can contact me through The Job Seekers Union where you can also email me - david@thejobseekersunion.com.

Copyright © David Jones 2009

This is the first in a series of five articles. In the next installment David addresses the issues of 'Telling Your Family and Friends' that you have lost your job.