Union helping thousands of electricians find work abroad
The TEEU, Ireland’s largest craft union, with 45,000 members in some of the sectors hardest hit by the recession such as construction, manufacturing and aviation yesterday held a special seminar for members with two leading trade unionists from Australia and Canada to advise those planning to emigrate.
TEEU spokesman Sean Heading said the organisation was not pleased that it had to advise members on emigrating but had to face the reality of the economic situation here.
“We have seen large numbers of young workers leaving to pursue opportunities abroad, many are paying over money to labour brokers for visas and contacts which they don’t have to. What we’re doing is putting them in contact with unions in these countries which will give them a better chance of entering the unionised workforce and not being taken advantage of.
“Of course it is something that as a union we would prefer not to be doing but we would be letting down our members if we did not utilise our connections within the international trade union movement to assist them,” he added.
The TEEU said the seminar held in Dublin had been greatly over subscribed by those seeking advice on working aboard.
Jacqueline King of the Electrical Trade Union in Australia and Gerry Donnelly of the Building Group Alberta, Canada, met with electricians who have been unable to find work giving advice on CVs, job applications and applying for visas in their respective countries.
It was made clear that in Canada jobs opportunities are mainly confined to the west of the country where large infrastructure projects are under way, while in Australia work was also easiest to find in the more remote areas.
TEEU general secretary Eamon Devoy said: “We very much appreciate this gesture of solidarity. We have to explore new ways of helping our members and, regrettably, given the tremendous damage done to our economy by bankers, developers and the Government, emigration is an option many people must explore.”
Of the large numbers of 18 to 25-year-olds seeking visas to Australia electricians are the most common job category.
In recent days Taoiseach Brian Cowen has insisted Ireland is not returning to mass emigration, despite projections 100,000 people will leave in the next four years.
