FIMITIC

Vác, Hungary, January 26, 2005

On the occasion of the FIMITIC Executive Board meeting in Budapest end of January 2005 on invitation of Dr. Csaba Chikan, Vice-President of MEOSZ (National Federation of Associations of Disabled People ), Chair of the town of Vác association and FIMITIC Board member a study visit in Vác nearby Budapest took place.The large old building in Rákóczi ut. 36 does belong to the Middle Hungarian Regional Association of Disabled People. The headquarters of the association, 6 special apartments for 12 persons - living centre - and the assistance service can be found there together with the working places.

A non-profit company - KHT - founded by the town Üllö Association of Disabled Persons to employ people with changed working capacity hired almost half of the building. It has six premises in Pest county and employs 300 - 400 persons.

One of the premises is in the town of Vác, the number of employees there varies between 100 and 130. People work there in two shifts in active production of electronic replacement parts and fishing tackles. People living in those apartments of the living centre are also employed in the firm, two of them in the headquarters of the association, the others have an easy productive manual work. All receive the appropriate part of minimum wage (according to law in force in Hungary) for seven working hours. Personal tax is not payable.

The KHT company receives financial support from the state according to the wages of the employees (based on the law). This amount has been significantly diminished due to the economizing measures of the government for the year 2005. Thus unfortunately the previously accomplished enlargement of the personnel had to be reduced. 30 persons from the Vác premises had to be dismissed. There is a close cooperation besides the letting and hiring relation of the associations due to the personal union offices of the responsible leaders. Private persons, associations and foundations can also be members of the Middle-Hungarian Regional Association of Disabled People.

The Middle-Hungarian Regional Association and Dr. Csaba Chikan, who does not belong to the management, together try to find appropriate work for the premises and to acquire employees. The Vác Association´ s Support Service assures if needed the transport of the employees of the settlement with an adapted car. The employees join the programme of the Vác Association, many are members of the Regional Association. Together they applied for financial means to improve the workplace, to further renovate the building part, but did not win the tender.

In recognition of the continuous efforts to integrate disabled people into working life and of the exemplary pilot project to promoting equal opportunities at work and in society the Middle Hungarian Regional Association of Disabled People was presented the FIMITIC Silver Medal together with the pennant of Federation by the FIMITIC President Marija-Lidija Stiglic.

Read more about the activity of the Pest county disability movement.