Councils

[emmie]

a friend who's council estate is having some much needed repairs wondered why the council employed a group of contract workers who are all Polish, most of whom can't speak English, the head bloke does a speak a little apparently, is it simply getting the work done, no matter who does it.

[albaqwerty]

funnily enough, I've just read Scrivens thread and the consensus seems to be that the councils are contracting work out to the cheapest company to get the work done.

I'm holding off getting my house re-wired for that very reason.

[emmie]

i think he was wondering that, also if only one has a small amount of English, no idea how much, how do they want what needs to be done, or follow instructions.

[emmie]

how do they know what needs to be done, my English is going to the dogs
x

[Buenchico]

Given that anyone looking for, say, a plumber (certainly around here) would automatically seek out a Polish one (better workmanship for half the price) rather than even considering a British one, it seems unsurprising that local authorities (who are, after all, tasked with using public money as efficiently as possible) are now doing the same. Good for them!

[Buenchico]

>>>how do they know what needs to be done

Possibly a bi-lingual boss has provided them with instructions?

[Wharton]

shocking

[emmie]

but that isn't necessarily the case, most of the people i have used have been British, good workers, who were clean, tidy, and not too costly

[emmie]

so another example of British jobs for British workers, oh dear
if he needs to ask them things, which he has, about the work, and only one has a smattering of English, who should he speak with,

[albaqwerty]

If they've been doing the same type of work for a few years, they'll know what they're doing.

I'm just curious about any guarantees/warranties if the companies return to their native country?

[emmie]

alba, pass.

[emmie]

presumably they are contractors, maybe its a British business who only employ Polish workers, who knows.

[ummmm]

They have been contracting out for years. My OH works for a firm that has contracts with various councils. It's nothing to do with the council what nationality the employees are.

It's the pot hole saga that is such a waste of money. The council send in people to temporarily fill pot holes (to avoid compensation claims) and my OH's firm come and re-do them properly.

[emmie]

i know they contract out, one of the reasons i refused to let them do work, as i have seen their handywork, most was shoddy, and had to be redone.

[ummmm]

It's pot luck what workmen you get.

What work do they want to do? Can they not insist it gets done?

[emmie]

this was a while back, they made a total pigs ear over work i had done privately, the head contractor bloke had to come back and redo the work his contractor had done, one of the reasons i don't like them in the home. They rarely if ever do things right,

[mikey4444]

How does your friend know that most don't speak English ? Has this friend spoken to every one of them, before telling you this story ?

Perhaps our own out-of-work people prefer to stay on the dole, rather then work ?

Perhaps these same people don't have the necessary skills that are required for the work ?

Too many unanswered questions here to form an opinion.

If you had used Polish people emmie, would they not have been good workers, who were clean, tidy, and not too costly as well, or are these qualities only available to British workers ?

[Dee Sa]

Polish have the reputation of being good workers, having said that I have never used them, stick to my own even if it does cost a bit more.

[emmie]

yes he has, he asked questions to one, then another, over how the work is going, none bar one could answer- and that was in halting English

[emmie]

i employed the people who understood what was required, i can't do that if they don't understand the language

[pixie373]

If they are getting the work done, at the lowest cost, it makes perfect sense. I agree with ummmm about the potholes- two years ago, they spent months resurfacing a main road here full of potholes. Six months later, they dug it all up for gas pipes. Obviously have money to burn...