The European Union supports Transylvanians who lost their jobs
The European Parliament has allocated 3.57 million Euros during the plenary session on Wednesday to help former employees of the steel products manufacturing company Mechel (Câmpia Turzii) re-enter the labour market.
”The more than 1,500 people who have lost their jobs recently will be provided with professional advice and training and they will be supported in starting independent activities”, declared RMDSZ MEP Csaba Sógor, who voted in favour of this initiative.
The amount will be paid out of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, which was established to provide additional support for workers who suffer from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade.
The company downsizing primarily affected Câmpia Turzii and the surrounding area in the south-eastern part of Cluj County. The socio-economic outlook of this area is defined by low income levels and low diversification of economic activities, about half of the working age population being employed by the industrial sector. Mechel was the most important employer in the region with 1837 employees in 2012, offering a secure income for about a third of the entire working aged population in the area. Unemployment levels among the population aged 18-62 increased from 2.7% to 7.2% after the workers''layoff.
”The layoffs seriously affected the local labour market, and we should bear in mind that similar situations across the continent are the result of Europe's long-term industrial decline. Thus, in addition to helping the regions affected by such hardships, Europe should focus on a long-term reindustrialisation that would lead to the creation of secure jobs”, pointed out Csaba Sógor.
The European Council is expected to vote on the issue on the 25th of September.
