More than 100 laid-off workers from Samoa Tuna Processors (STP) Inc., cannery are now placed in temporary jobs for one month, using available federal funds administered by the Department of Human Resources (DHR), while a government survey shows that around 70% of the laid-off STP employees are not interested in short-term training.

Two former STP workers said Tuesday that they attended a government-sponsored orientation held at the STP compound where they were told of temporary employment for one month only — at this point. One employee opted not to take up the temporary job after being hired full time by a local company.

Responding to Samoa News questions, Makerita Enesi, who heads the ASG Human Resources’ Employment and Training Division confirmed to Samoa News on Wednesday that the orientation was held at the STP plant with 42 STP workers in attendance, and more after their registration with DHR.

She said temporary jobs are still being offered, which include production work, dock helpers, quality control, warehouse helpers, maintenance, accounting, human resources, quality-control-sanitation and general production helpers. The former STP workers will be employed 6 hours a day, no more then 30 hours a week, with an hourly rate of $5 for the one month.

Enesi said right now a total of 142 workers are now placed at various private sector businesses and more are going through registration with DHR before their job placements.

She identified private sector worksites, which include Neil’s ACE Home Center, KS Mart, Lefonuea Catering, Island Florist, Kruse F.J & P Inc., My Vision-Eye Clinic, Maliu Mai Beach Resort, Forsgren's Inc., Fletcher Construction, Mefi Florist, 3-Young Gas Station, and Tini Lam Yuen Furniture.

“There's more companies requesting as we try and reach out to the employers closer to their [displaced workers] homes,” she said adding that the temporary jobs are funded with Dislocated Worker Formula Federal funds allocated under Title l of federal law and administered locally by DHR-ETD.

On behalf of DHR acting director Eseneiaso Liu, “We wish to thank all the private sector employers and businesses, non profit organizations and those who have offered to provide employment for our STP workers during this time of need.” Enesi said. “Thank you all for supporting our STP dislocated workers.”

As previously reported by Samoa News the governor had appointed a task force to look at ways to assist displaced STP workers, including possible federal funding, and DHR was preparing an application for submission to the US Department of Labor’s National Dislocated Worker Grants, which replaced the National Emergency Grant (NEG) program.

Regarding the status of the application, Enesi said, “This type of application requires detailed information and we would like to gather as much relevant information and complete a full-proof application before sending it.”

Commerce Department director Keniseli Lafaele, a member of the task force, told Samoa News last November that total funding depends on data collected and included in the application. Additionally, information for the application pertains to number of workers to be dislocated, immigration status, skills, and other relevant information. As part of the data collection from STP workers, a survey was also conducted.

Asked for a summary of the survey, Lafaele said yesterday that of the 544 employees surveyed:

•     67% were not interested in short-term training,

•     37% expressed some interest in a short-term training and open to anything to secure a job,

•     25% would like to participate in a computer or technology training,

•     38% have no other employment skills aside from what they've been trained to do by former employer, STP and

•     high school is the highest level of education achieved by over 90% of the respondents.