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THE VIDEO GAME company behind games such as The Elder Scrolls series and Doom are to expand their Galway customer service centre, creating 250 jobs.
Zenimax Online has its European operations base here and plan to hire 70 French speakers, 30 German speakers as well as 150 English speakers to support online gamers.
Zenimax opened its Galway operation in 2011 and initially employed 180 people. Zenimax Online is a subsidiary of Zenimax Media, the Maryland based company which is was set up in 1986 and counts film director Jerry Bruckheimer as one of its board members.
The Elder Scrolls series was first created in 1994 and to date has published 20 titles across different platforms. ‘The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’ is perhaps the most widely known of the Zenimax titles.
The majority of the positions being created in Galway are in the area of customer services and are being hired by recruiters Kelly Services.
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“speed up the privatisation of state companies and reform their labour markets”!!!!!!!!! Need I say more.
Germany’s “Hartz labour reform” of the last decade was written by Peter Hartz the ceo of VW. It destroys job security,Creates mini jobs and boosts agency work to get rid of permanent staff to keep a core of skilled workers to drive down wages.. a lot of Germans wages are so low they need social welfare assistance with it. They also have ?1 a hour work if your on assistance. If you want to know what path our government will take just look at Germany’s last 10 years to growth at any expense.
I know. Delicious isn’t it?! If only it happened. I’d say Labour will fight any common sense privatisation and liberalisation tooth and nail as their union paymasters would obviously not want their stranglehold broken. Come on Angela!
Yup its all about what money is left going to the super rich. They have to be stopped.
ledroit. You DO realise that union contributions only make up a small percentage of overall donations to labour, don’t you?
No need to, the erosion of workers rights is becoming the norm, permanent jobs are a thing of the past, redundancy payments, forget it. And privatisation , so Germans can buy Irish, there way of supporting us. Forget it. So this is what we signed up for,
“speed up privatisation of state companies”?
Get stuffed angela, we’re already covering the gambling debts of your banks and selling off state assets to repay losses that are not the responsibility of the Irish people.
I’m sure there will be lots of cash stuffed german investors willing to take over europes infrastructure piece by piece if merkels plans to force states to sell the family silver comes to fruition. This crap is completely against the whole ethos and raison d’etre of the EU in the first place of preventing single countries in europe becoming too powerful and a threat to other nations.
Privatisation and labour reforms? Sounds great :-/
here we go , i was wondering how soon this would happen, you all voted “yes” so not only do we lose our sovereign independence, but not your new boss Herr Merckal wants privatisation of our national assets, did’nt take her to take full control , did it, you bloody morons?
Are you talking to me? I didn’t vote yes and it turns out that i agree with you.
“pssst” Sean Claffey, who was that “you talkin to me” meant for.
What?
@ sean claffey, ok , lets move on, misunderstanding.
State companies privatised and labour reform!! No need to translate that into the working mans language for ye. Bleed a country dry and pay the labourers shite while you’re at it.
We have to be ready to take action when they start trying to sell our stare assets. And if that means chaining ourselves to then that’s what we must do.
How are people red thumbing @Reada on the stripping of state assets.
That’s exactly what us going to happen. But we’ll be allowed to keep a wee bit for infrastructure.
When I heard noonan crowing about this concession that he got I knew we were buggered.
Where are all the FG & Lab’s now on the comment sections.
Asses for rent.
That @David character will tell you that black is white and white is black.
His people are pi**ing down our backs and telling us it’s raining.
Peace
@dave gormley, thats what the Irish do when they dont understand something , they vote “yes” and Red thumb other peoples comments.
More jobs gone 180 in Pfizer – so that over 500 job losses anounced since the Yes vote, interesting..
Its up to 630 now Chris.
But Inda said stability and jobs?
But wee Eamon has said they are continuing to work on a bank deal.
Gombeans one all.
I would love to see an automated daily job watch update, such as:-
Days since referendum Yes vote: 6.
Job Watch:
– CIE: -450
- Chill Insurance: +50
- Field Management Ireland: +30
- Pfizer: -190
Net Change(+/-): -560
So basically more of the neo-liberal approach that helped cause the crisis in the first place. Sounds wonderful
The whole fiasco is a neoliberal agenda from the get go. Its the transfer of money from public to private hands. The fact that they would destroy peoples lives to achieve this shows us where we are heading.
I cannot completely disagree, I too value properly run and efficient publicly owed infrastructures and services.
The problem however is that this never happens, state run companies become blackmailed by public sector unions, not defending labour rights (these are all enshrined in law now), but fighting for excessive pay and conditions for their workers, assuming a endless stream of cash from the taxpayers. Name one well run and efficient state company?
It is a truth that they have failed, and because of the greed of their workers, assuming monopoly positions and distorting markets.
A transfer of wealth from the public to private would assume that a price will not be charged, if the private sector purchases it fairly i have no objection, if anything I would encourage it to make the essential changes to make these companies sustainable.
What is your objection exactly?
Have you an example of a public company that became more effecient and profitabel when it was privatised Google?
This just gets more interesting by the day! Wouldn’t mind having our sovereignty back now !!!! Gone with the wind !!! Never, ever believe a politician. Especially when they have not studied political science and are only on the job training. A..holes!!!!!!
People would not listen to us when we were saying vote NO . But you know what , I voted no, and I am glad I did . FF/G Lab f*kers are so devious. The day AFTER the vote was cast , they announced 450 job losses in Irish rail. But no one would listen….And now it is written into the constitution ….Nice one!
What she wants is basically for the rest of Europe to do anything except that which might in any shape or form threaten the present strength of the German economy. At the moment the relationship between Germany and the rest of the eu is rather like that of Britain to her colonies during the days of empire. Frau Merkel has shown that she is not really interested in a genuine single currency and closer integration of europe. At least on that we agree! She will not contemplate eurobonds as these will increase the cost of German borrowing. Germany is doing well at the cost of the rest of the eurozone at the moment. That is until the rest of the zone can no longer contribute to the debts of German bank’s speculations prior to 2008.
Who made her head honcho, Germany is only one country and the only one that she was elected to govern. She does not have the right to demand that other countries act in the best interest of the German population at the expense of their own. I really dont understand why the PIIGS dont get together and tell her that if she doesnt get together with Mario and do a deal on banking debt and promisory notes, they will default and collapse the Euro.
We made her head honcho :D
We did it by voting FF for years, and then losing control of our finances, followed by our sovereignty.
Then we voted yes at the last ditch attempt.
I didnt.
Vote Yes for errr, this.
While the increased funds to the European Invesment Bank are welcome, reforms aren’t going to be enough to solve this crisis. Yes they will help competitiveness and help to create long term growth but the lack of demand in the Eurozone must be tackled now and in a meaningful way.
The elephant in the room is the ECB which is intent on keeping inflation down. We need inflation to get our debts down and to encourage spending.
“We need inflation to get our debts down and to encourage spending.”
Have you been taking lessons in economics off your primary school teacher leader again david, or is Michael ‘german bunds’ noonan purposely misdirecting the juniors in your party for his own gain??
Do you even understand what you just said David?
Are you going to answer the question I’ve asked you 5 times now?? Fine Gael people don’t seem capable of answering people’s questions. They teach you failed economics and how not to answer people :-/ Ya’s are great craic
How many journal.ie accounts do you have David?
Can we now add Jim Power to your list of influences David?
The lady in bonn runs the show and as the big paymaster she will get her way unless we try to stand up and not like her stiletto heels like gimps
What a kick in the pants for the public sector. Come out and support the treaty to safeguard your pay and conditions. The good news now you get to work in the private sector.
Will Gilmore be grabbing his ankles for this?
Labour are finished. On the scrap heap with the PD’s and Greens.
David labour reform = lower wages
Inflation=higher prices
Sorry David the above comment makes no sense.
You have to hand it to Kenny/Gilmore for sneaky and underhand.
Why the big rush to ratify the treaty when it didn’t need to be ratified until next March?
Because it would be blown out of the water after this announcement.
Vote No you get another bite of the cherry!
You might learn something here David :-)
Actually Paul Krugman advocates raising the inflation target in the EU and he is anything but Neo-Liberal. I’m no fan of David’s views, but a factually correct criticism of them is not an unreasonable expectation.
We need inflation to get our debts down and to encourage spending.
Honestly ! I cannot see how this could help.
Really. We need inflation (i.e. price increases) too encourage spending? Are you serious? If thats the type of stuff the people at the top of your party are using to form economic policy then we are in far more trouble then I previously believed.
Once poor old David even starts typing a comment in this forum the red thumbs are out regardless so lets examine what he said and to pharaphrase it is that the ECB’s sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. He then goes on to say that we need inflation to get our debts down and to encourage spending. Inflation as a tool for reducing debt is a well known tool however for it to be effective one has to assume that (a) There is a reasonable level of inflation and (b) that Wages either rise at a level near or greater than inflation. Once this happens as the debt does not rise with inflation, over time the debt as a percentage of income falls and in theory becomes more affordable. Of course what is good in theory does not always work in practice and one has to take a long term view on the process something which our little online community here is not always very good at. On the spending side the same logic holds true as people see that their percentage of debt is falling they will be encouraged to spend slowly at first but then more readily but again over a long period of time. So in conclusion I see nothing wrong with what he said other than the fact that he is the poster that everyone loves to hate.
I don’t think David worded his comments well to be honest.
The ECB is charged with keeping inflation low, in and about 2%. Because growth in an economy fuels inflation they have raised interest rates in the past to depress demand and thus keep inflation under control. If however they allowed inflation to rise to around 3% or 4% without interest rates rises then they would create the breathing space for growth to occur in the economy. This is being suggested by a number of commentator including, as somebody above pointed out, Paul Krugman.
There is also an upside for Ireland in a sustained higher inflation rate over a couple of years because it means in overall terms the value of our debt would decrease.
I’m no fan of David’s views either. However, what is factually wrong with this comment?
Restoring competitiveness does require lower wages in real terms. We’re trying to do this by deflation right now and it’s not working. Worse: people have been hit hard in terms of their incomes, but their costs have stayed the same or increased.
By the way, I assume David’s suggestion of “inflation to encourage spending” is driven by the fact that inflation hits savers hard – therefore they’re being “encouraged” to spend instead of saving.
There are significant downside risks to using inflation to encourage economic expansion and a good reason why the Germans are obsessed with trying to control it.
Privations for those on fixed incomes.
Privations for savers and those with pension plans. How do banks rebuild their balance sheets?
Renewed incentives for borrowing.
Using inflation is a bit like using petrol and matches to weed your garden. If you fail to control it, you could end up burning your house down. Higher interest rates are required to slow runaway inflation.
There is no doubt the policy carries risks because inflation can get out of hand very quickly. The trick is knowing when its about to get out of hand. But there is some merit in the argument in the current circumstances because we are now have significant deflation so there is room to create some breathing space.
Ya’s can argue away but whatever fg or merkel decides to do it’s not going to benefit the people of Ireland, well maybe just the politicians and bankers and developers and solicitors and the like, the same people who got the richest through the so called celtic tiger, the same people who are still getting rich and the same people who’s debt’s we are now paying for. We are lovely people us Irish, just let people come and take whatever they want without a peep. I’m paying for my own personal mortgage, I’ve always paid my taxes, I don’t have any debt because I never GAMBLED on property or shares, so I don’t understand why I have to pay for another man’s debt, especially the likes of someone who caused the recession and is still getting paid K200 a year to give advice. Do people honestly believe that we are going to fix our problems if we are taking advice from the very people that caused our problems?? They caused them by lying and cheating!!! Until people start to focus on what was the cause of our problems and start to fix them we are never going to move forward. fine gael are only dragging us backwards, they had a year, they haven’t come up with one inventive idea. It’s impossible to cut your way out of a recession while doing the same things that got you into the recession. Albert Einstein Quotes Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
I’m sorry but this is utter tripe,
wow Frau Merkel wants us to exploit the potential of the single market. Is she for real? We cant afford to buy any more German cars, Their banks took a huge hit after Lehman’s and they tightened the screw on us to get their money back. We have nothing left only debt. Irish banks wont lend, European banks wont lend. Buy and sell to each other — Thats a laugh only ones with money are the rich (countries and People) and they are not spending or investing. Maybe Frau Merkel will lend us more money to spend? I doubt it.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/pharma-giant-pfizer-to-shed-180-jobs-196341.html
I post here because Thejournal do not have an article about it yet, most have only been announced in the last couple of mins
Expect plenty more of these announcements which were withheld before the ref vote. So much for Noonans assertion that FDI decision makers were waiting in the wings for the yes vote. More lies but hopefully less people fooled this time.
Chris, if you actually read the article you linked too you will note they are only speculative losses, reading beyond a headline normally helps if you want to understand the article. Secondly, the link is off topic as it refers to a US multinational and not the German proposals for the semi-state sector/assets
Suggest you read it again Vocal, there is nothing speculative about the announced job losses.
@ Vocal – its no more speculative then when 150 jobs are announced over 2-3 years (depending on growth etc) that the yes side where jumping all over before the Vote.
Can’t wait to hear enda the planks attempted spin on this, or will he just send out big phil to crush the peasants. All ye “YES” voters didn’t have to wait long to see the benefits now did ya,, privatisation. Eircom springs to mind, another method to channel more natural resources to the rich and away from citizens.
“Germany wants state companies privatised, labour markets reformed to promote growth”
That’s not a million miles from what Margaret Thatcher was trying to do.
Essentially this is the path of disaster capitalism as spelt out by Naomi Klein. Are we not still rolling with the blows from the last f&*k up from unfettered uber capitalism. The sooner the Euro collapses the better off we’ll be re Germanys Fourth Reich
Great. Right up FGs alley- reform labour market and sell the state silver. They’ve been giddy about privatisation from the outset and they will use this garbage to justify their case to the Irish people.
How far will they be allowed to go with this before we finally have enough and rise up to defend our nation from daylight robbery?
These cuts and sales are not sustainable growth measures anyway.
this is no longer an eu for the benefit of all europeans this europe that benefits rich germans.
Again Germany is trying to control the world…. what next I ask myself heaven help us , now i know the true meaning of the iron curtain.
Couldn’t agree with you more, I think she has a Ph.D. in Chemistry, does that mean that I could work for Pfizers, no wait a minute they just sacked some people. What a world it’s Santa Clause asking for Christmas presents
Arbeit macht frei
Judging by the turnout all the no voters were here voting and not at the polling station!!
Sean
I went to the voting station and I voted No.
I also canvassed for the No vote , but people were frightened by the blackmail clause.
….and the blackmail clause was false as is being proved since Friday …..
Well guys that’s what we just votes so stop your quibbling now and move on!!!
No we wont Sean. Most of the commentators here voted No and we have EVERY right quibble, becuase thanks to the 20% of the population that voted Yes we are all going to suffer.
So we’re down to 20% now. Actually it was 60%.
60% of the people who turned out and who expressed a choice. The views of those who chose to stay at home do not count in the real world. And even if it was 20% it was still more than said NO. Accept the facts.
Sean thats exactly the kind of thinking that has helped us get where we are! Its that woeful attitude of “we are where we are” that has allowed the likes of Merkel to get away with her destructive policies.
When we signed up to go into the EU it was as an equal partner in a Union of Nation States. It was not as a cog in a Federalized Europe with THAT WOMAN as the de facto President!
Now we see why it took us 800 years to regain our independence :D
JIM
In numbers: Ireland’s referendum on the Fiscal Compact:
20.81 per cent – The proportion of the country’s population (again, as of Census 2011) who actually voted in favour of the Fiscal Compact. 68.5 per cent of the population were entitled to vote; 34.7 per cent actually voted, and 20.8 per cent approved it.
Take it up with mailto:gavan@thejournal.ie if you have a problem with the 20% I quoted.
@ Jim Walsh
”Parties and independents representing less than 20% of the General Election vote get a No vote representing approx 20% of the electorate. Interesting proportional contrast there.”
Ah really people, what merkel is on about has nothing to do with the fiscal treaty. You just can’t wait to find some reason to say I told you so. Merkel has just suggested what she wants, it’s not an order.
Having said that I wouldn’t put it past our own government to pursue privatisation off their own bat, being the wannabe thatcherites they are
now , before this gets any worse , I want to know how to reverse this evil, we want to remove our “government ” because they have turned out to be back-stabbing , liers and traitors, and how to protect our national assets from being taken over by foreigners, and our independence being totally lost.
these foreigners are only interested in making plenty of money for themselves and not , as we were promised in the beginning , the formation of a union of states for the ordinary people . we are now the slaves of a financial dictatorship led, it seems, by Germany.
It has to stop, and soon.
.
The only way to do that Richard is to go out on the streets and protest, but it would appear that for a large portion of the population protesting gets in the way of watching telly, going to the pub, sitting on their arses.
I think its a good idea
@Anne Redding, well we are going to have to to get off our butts soon and let ourselves be heard, the longer this is allowed to go on, the more power these people will have over us , and personally , I will soon be having to hand the task over to my children and their children.
It is a good idea, but two slow. I’m sure it can be slotted in to the overall program for growth.
Arbeit macht frei.
Previous attempt by Germany to control labour in Europe.
And we all know what happened the last time ….
What Germany wants is what Germany wanted during the War, a slave labour force they can move and abuse at will, and with the puppet government we have in Leinster House they will most certainly get it. Of course the Foreign National economic refugees will be exempt, they are honest hardworking people, not like the greedy, lazy Irish, Kenny and his creeps are a Government racist against their own people.
Is she channelling Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf?
where’s everything gone?
cancell “where’s everything gone” post, everythings back.
have your say