EU to help former finnish shipyard workers

The European Commission has proposed to provide Finland with €1.4 million (USD 1.77m) from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to help 565 former workers of the shipyards STX
Finland Oy to find new jobs. The proposal now goes to the European Parliament and the EU’s Council of Ministers for approval. EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor, said:

 “The crisis has accelerated the transformation of the shipbuilding sector, with much of this industry moving to Asia. This proposal for 1.4 million euros from Europe’s Globalisation Fund would help prepare the dismissed workers for new job opportunities in other promising sectors.”

 Finland applied for support from the EGF following the dismissal of 634 workers in STX Finland Oy in Rauma and Turku. The dismissals were the result of increased competition from Asian shipyards.

The measures co-financed by the EGF would help the 565 workers facing the greatest difficulties in finding new jobs by providing them with coaching and other preparatory measures, training and re-training, entrepreneurship promotion, as well as pay subsidies and various allowances.

The total estimated cost of the package is €2.3 million (USD 2.91), of which the EGF would provide €1.4 million. The redundancies are caused by the closure of the STX shipyard in Rauma, with some ensuing job losses at the bigger STX shipyard in Turku. Following a dramatic increase in demand for ships before the global economic and financial crisis, new shipyards were built, most of them in Asia. However, the crisis halved the demand between 2007 and 2013.