Migrant workers are benefitting the economy

[jake-the-peg]

http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/12014

A TUC study says that migrant workers far from being a drain on the country's economy are a financial asset paying more in taxes than the value of the public services they receive.

Not a report that'll be popular with many of their members I'd imagine.

Does this mean we need more migrant workers?

[rabbitygirl]

We may well need more migrant workers (especially serving in shops - see shopping) but certain trades have seen their pay drop due to competition from migrants accepting lower rates to do the same job - hotel and building are 2. If your pay drops thru no fault of your own and your bills still land on the mat what do you do. It would be a strong person not to resent our incomers. It cant go on tho - they will eventually have the same bills to pay.

[jno]

it depends, rabbitygirl: if they're seeking their fortune, they may be prepared to accept a lower standard of living than the locals (no widescreen HDTVs for a year or two, no Las Vegas weekends). Conversely, don't forget that Brits leave for abroad in great numbers, also seeking a better life in Australia (the most popular destination, I believe). Migration works in all directions.

But to answer Jake's question, yes. Couldn't find locals to do any of the jobs I've needed doing this year but in the end a Bulgarian fixed the computer and an Irishman built my fence; both turned up dead on time, did a good job and charged fairly. Brits, it seemed, were just too busy to bother.

[sandbach99]

jno It is not a case of the locals going without HDTV or holidays abroad to be able to accept a lower wage, the locals have mortgage or rent, gas, electric,council tax, water rates etc. Whereas the immigrants live in overcrowded houses for �50 per week all found.

If Australia wants immigrants why don't the ones that are coming here go to Australia, then maybe the locals would stay in there own country.

Malcolm Moss MP is complaining that locals cannot get employment in factories in his constituancy as they speak the wrong language.

Yes jno the Brits were not sat on their backsides waiting on the off chance you might phone, many are fully booked for weeks if not months in advance.

This from the TUC is one of the many sound bites the Government and friendly organizations are putting out to try to make us accept the immigrants.

[jno]

there you are then, sandbach, the immigrants aren't doing anyone out of work if they're all booked months ahead. They are in fact easing a labour shortage, which is just what the country needs. Because who wants to wait months to have their computer fixed?

[jake-the-peg]

I'd point out that it isn't just low paid jobs picking strawberries that we're talking about.

The Software Engineering team in which I work have Brazillians, French, Indians, Australians, Poles and even someone from Nepal.

Despite the work being well paid we have great difficulty recruiting really good staff. If we couldn't recruit immigrants I doubt we'd be able to keep the site viable and I and many others would be out of a job.

[Theland]

There is a difference in allowing viable skilled workers in, and opening the floodgates for Tom Dick and Hariri!

[jno]

why so, Theland? Surely it's the low-paid drudge jobs that don't interest British workers, but still need to be done, that really need immigrant labour?

[sandbach99]

Jake Is it that people are not being trained in Britain to do these jobs, or is that when they are trained or graduate if it is a uni qualification, that they set up a business on their own.

Jno If the drudge jobs paid a proper wage more locals could afford to do them, instead of immigrants who live in over-crowded houses with no other bills to pay.
Also then maybe the likes of the hospitals would be cleaned better.

[jake-the-peg]

No, few of the sort of technical people we are looking for are too attracted with the ide of working for themselves - I can count the times I've seen that happen on the fingers of one hand.

It's just there simply more opportunities for really good people than there are people to fill them.

The point is if we can't get good people from abroad here then the jobs go from here abroad and we just lose-out for those of us who want to stay in the UK and for the British economy.

That's why I get angry when I hear all the cr@p about immigrants normally from knuckle-draggers who could no more do some of this work than they could sprout wings.

[sandbach99]

Thanks Jake As so many young people seem to be computer wizz kids I did not realise there is a skill shortage. Of course you have to employ from around the globe in that case.

What people are objecting to is how some locals are being treated, take a factory near here, long estabished, no more contracts therefore all staff redundant. A few weeks later they reopen as more contracts have come in, but they don't go to their old employees they employ all Poles and anybody from their old staff were told no vacancies

Maybe it would be better if the T U C issued list of the skill shortages there are in Britain and how people could train to fill these gaps as the school leavers here seem to have the idea that there are no jobs as the Poles have them all.

[jno]

sure, Sandbach, but if wages go up then prices go up (or taxes, if it's public services jobs); people protest about inflation and vote for any party that will promise to reduce it. You get what you pay for. People may want a fair wage for the deserving British worker but they don't want to pay the resulting high prices for British goods or services.

[Theland]

jno - opening the flooodgates to unskilled gangmaster fodder is wrong, and a consequence of allowing people to turn down work and claim benefits. How ridiculous for the government to say that they are doing jobs that we, "don't want to do!"

[helpmetoo]

They may pay more taxes than the benefits they receive...
However the whole basis of a capitalist economy such as in the UK is the circulation of money, they have a negative effect on the economic cycle due to the percentage of their income sent 'home' to dependants or to add to the bus fare fund for the next incoming wave..
Put more simply, you earn �1000 and pay tax and say end up with �850, with any balance after living costs you buy retail products the profit made on which pays wages for another taxpayer and makes profit which the company will pay tax on...
I remember the days when to protect our currency in the late sixties and early seventies only a small amount of cash per person was allowed to be taken out of the country, if this current situation escalates then this may well be a solution.