Migrant Labour
 

The Labour Government has been caught out again. Yesterdays headlines were
which followed on to estimate that there are 1.1 million foreign workers in the UK, not the 800 000 previously predicted. That represents 8% of the UK workforce! Whether this 'mistake' was a mistake at all is questionable however when the Tories are gaining popularity with their recent drive to monitor immigrants it would follow suit that Labour would attempt to lessen the blow of the real figures.

In Jacquis defence
(timesonline)

However under scrutiny again it turns out that:
In a further development, a Parliamentary answer obtained by the Conservatives has revealed 1.5 million foreign-born workers have come to work in Britain in the past 10 years.
What chaos! It's evident that no one knows what the hell is happening, how can we even vaguely trust these figures?! It's amazing that the Government can openly make such huge blunders and lies, with no comeback. 15 years ago this would have resulted in dismissals, nowadays they're such common events it just gets forgotten, even todays papers are bored with the story and have in place "Prince quizzed over bird shooting"

Any views?

Smith 'sorry' for migrants error
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7068291.stm
More than half of jobs got to migrants
http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/po...cle2774396.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7069779.stm

Re: Migrant Labour
 

There's statistics, damned statistics, and lies.

Everyone on each side of the fence massages them to suit their own agenda/outlook. I tend not to worry about it. Life goes on, and indeed it will go on. Tomorrow is another day - hopefully I will be well, the bike won't have been knicked and the house will not have been burgled.

Anyway, I went to a Polish shop the other day (there's one on Union Street in Plymouth) and I couldn't find a tin of cherry blossom anywhere!!:smt044

Re: Migrant Labour
 

Should be plenty of red dusters in shops in Plymouth though?

Re: Migrant Labour
 

Oh and the migrant labour thing?
In general I think they are good for the country.They come here to work,they generally learn the language,and they intergrate into society.In short they make a positive contribution.
Thats very different to other forms of immigration who come here to live in isolation,dont speak English,dont intergrate and generally take from the rest of society.
Whether we really need over a million extra workers when we have far more than that already here on various benefits is another matter,but not the fault of the new migrant workers.

Re: Migrant Labour
 

As i work in manufacturing, they use a lot of temps. A good 50% is made up of polish, then 30% Asian, 10% from africa or there abouts and 10% British white folk. We find that the poles are very very hard working, and I don't have a problem with most folk so long as they work hard and aren't lazy.... besides you'll find that they take up the jobs that the aveerage lazy brit wouldn't get out of bed for.....so who's fault is it that we have a problem with migrant labour

Re: Migrant Labour
 

It's all election play. What is annoying is that Labour and the Conservatives will both go head to head on this issue, knowing that it is signifcant in people's minds but once elected, whoever wins will tuck their tails between their legs and do nothing.

However, if people want to come to the UK to take on jobs that UK residents are not qualified for, or don't want to do then fair play, as long as they integrate and pay taxes like the rest of us I've no issue - apart from being concerned about how society will deal with our own native un-skilled, no-hoper, stars-in-their-x-factor generation-eyes, the-world-owes-me-a-living scum that has been borne out of a long period of financial growth and stability.

Re: Migrant Labour
 

Thats about the same here in warrington. We have a huge populace of Polish here and unfortunately there has been a major problem regarding the companies, 3 warehouses have stopped employing Brits and will only employ Polish ( because they DO work hard ) however I now am finding it extremely difficult to find a job in warehousing.
It may be illegal to employ only one type of people however i'd like someone try and stop the companies from doing it, you need solid proof.
I have experience, education and a good record but yet I cannot even get an interview and all I get from the agencies is that there is no work ( which is bull,it's the time of year where the companies are screaming out for people ).
Not a happy bunny!

Re: Migrant Labour
 

I have no problem with foreign workers but I do think that we have had too many too quickly. The fact that the government can't get the figures right is surely proof that they have no handle on the issue. As for several iterations of the figures, IMHO people have got so used to the lies and misrepresentations coming from this mendacious government that they don't get worked up about it any more. Nobody believes them (ie ministers) anyway, so if the figures subsequently prove to be wrong, it's only what we know already.

And Brown and his homies wonder why people are so cynical about politicians and why people have lost trust in political process.

Re: Migrant Labour
 

In the area that I work in I deal with alot of polish workers.

My summary:-

Polish - They work damn hard and you only have to tell them things once.

English - They are lazy and work shy, will do just enough to get by and answer back/swear at you when given an order.

The english used to beable to get away with this as there was that much work about, they could get thrown off a job and walk onto another site the same day. Unfortunately now for them there isnt spaces to walk straight into as reliable hard working polish people are filling them when they walk out.

Re: Migrant Labour
 

Pretty much my experience too. I can see the companies' POV, why wouldn't you employ someone who works harder for less and doesn't take the p***? I can't help but feel that British workers have (to some degree) brought this situation upon themselves.

Before anyone goes, "Ah what if it happened in your trade?" It already has, I work in IT.