What Would Happen If

Sonea Fifer · 10 Oct 2008 at 22:57

All the EU / foreign workers went home?

The reason I'm asking this question, as some of you may know I've recently started a new job (stock controller in a distribution centre) now perhaps I'm showing my naivity here? But I have to admit I was amazed at the amount of Polish and other foreign / Eastern European workers are in the warehouse. They're basically making all the orders up for the stores - doing all the donkey work / hard graft, the sort of work British people may have done if our government hadn't made their life so much better off financially on benefits.

The reason I'm asking this question is, as our current economic climate has shown nothing can be taken for granted - if for whatever reason they did all leave i know my company would probably struggle to complete all the orders considering foreigners make up around 70% of their workforce. Granted the're all employed through agencies, but could it happen? and If so what would be the repercussions?

Your thoughts?

apeZ · 10 Oct 2008 at 22:58

Unemployment would be solved.

Chimerical · 10 Oct 2008 at 22:59

We'd be screwed. Just like America would be if all the Mexicans left.

Immigrants basically do all the jobs that the English don't want to do. They do these unwanted jobs well, no complaints, they probably don't care so much for health & safety risks, etc.

Cob · 10 Oct 2008 at 22:59

apeZ said:
Unemployment would be solved.

Really?

Because a lot of the factories around here couldn't survive without foreign labour, and would close and put the locals on the dole.

Pilky01 · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:00

Im guessing the economy would literally fall to bits.

Jokester · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:03

Certainly up here, prior to the influx of eastern europeans several business were struggling to fill positions for menial jobs, despite there being unemployed people in the area.

Just because there's low/zero skilled jobs about doesn't mean unemployed people will take them. Benefits culture and all that as you say.

apeZ · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:06

Don't really understand. Surely if you are unemployed, you take what you can get?

Dolph · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:07

apeZ said:
Unemployment would be solved.

Only if you removed benefits for those unwillling to work.

Jokester · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:08

apeZ said:
Don't really understand. Surely if you are unemployed, you take what you can get?

Because for a lot of people the hassle of work isn't worth the loss of benefits that it would bring.

Sonea Fifer · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:11

Chimerical said:
they probably don't care so much for health & safety risks, etc.

Thats for sure - my job is roughly 50% office and 50% warehouse based. I've lost count the amount of times one of the foreigners has almost run me over in the warehouse :eek:

Jokester said:
Just because there's low/zero skilled jobs about doesn't mean unemployed people will take them. Benefits culture and all that as you say.

That is exactly my point - they're quite happy to work 12 hour shifts with the minimum amount of breaks and not complain about it. Offer that to the average unskilled British worker and they'll probably reply with "No thanks - I'd rather collect my benefits"

VirtualAdept · 10 Oct 2008 at 23:19

Jokester said:
Because for a lot of people the hassle of work isn't worth the loss of benefits that it would bring.

So true... when i was on benefits (incapacity, that is, not JSA), I turned down a few jobs when I wanted to return to work because it actually made more financial sense to stay on the benefits once you included housing, council tax benefits etc.

Rameses · 11 Oct 2008 at 01:03

I've been disabled all my life, yet I work. When I go out at dinner on the local precinct it annoys the hell out me to see middle aged men (40's, 50's) stood outside the pubs having a fag and going back in to drink all the while I have 30 mins to get fresh air before I go back in to continue working.

Perfectly fine to do jobs, yet they are allowed to continue this lifestyle out of choice because the government won't push them.

I've love it if I were called to one of these 'medical fitness' places and just see myself and the others and just see how disabled they are compared to me.

On topic though I have had a number of staff in our place from agencies mainly that are from Pakistan and Poland.

They are ok people, do the job well and don't complain.

Not that can be said for other 'english' agency staff we've had.

I think it's always been a case of how the english populous see jobs as being too 'low' for them to do, and expect others to do it where as there won't be unless we allow foreigners in.

Tute · 11 Oct 2008 at 01:10

Why do we still have JSA anyway? It's completely and utterly pointless. You either can work - and you do or don't eat - or you can't work, which puts you on disability allowance.

Shoseki · 11 Oct 2008 at 01:36

What would happen if... YOU USED A PROPER TITLE?

Oh yeah, no-one would read your thread :S

Cupra · 11 Oct 2008 at 02:12

Jokester said:
Certainly up here, prior to the influx of eastern europeans several business were struggling to fill positions for menial jobs, despite there being unemployed people in the area.

Just because there's low/zero skilled jobs about doesn't mean unemployed people will take them. Benefits culture and all that as you say.

very true

i honestly think making anyone on jsa work for voluntary orgonisations would be a massive step forward in solving a lot of the countrys problems.. and if yo dont go you dont get jsa

a lot of people **** of foreign people in the uk but we couldnt survive without them due to so many lazy people here be it uk or foregn born

VirtualAdept · 11 Oct 2008 at 02:19

Cupra said:
i honestly think making anyone on jsa work for voluntary orgonisations would be a massive step forward in solving a lot of the countrys problems.. and if yo dont go you dont get jsa

I agree. My friend recently lost his job and is on jsa now, but is having an awful time finding work, so has taken to doing some voluntary work in oxfam. I think its doing his self esteem the world of good.

gillywibble · 11 Oct 2008 at 08:28

It boils down to 'willingness to work', which our foreigner friends have in abundance.

GinG · 11 Oct 2008 at 08:34

apeZ said:
Unemployment would be solved.

Fail.

I was told the other day that i am being made redundant. Never had to search for a job before, I am only 22, but all my jobs be it a paper round, part time or my full time I have got from mates or family friends.

I was amazed at how many jobs are out there, just not what I want to do. Basically the Polish etc. are only bothered about making a good living for themselves and see any job a job. They are filling those places that no one wants to do.

There is no need for anyone to be unemployed just because they cant find a job, even in the last week of jobs there must have been 50+ available, just nothing tickled my fancy.

If these all went back to their own countries, the businesses will be screwed!

SlyReaper · 11 Oct 2008 at 10:02

Tute said:
Why do we still have JSA anyway? It's completely and utterly pointless. You either can work - and you do or don't eat - or you can't work, which puts you on disability allowance.

Just because you're able bodied doesn't automatically mean you can just walk straight into a job. Hell, since graduating from uni, I've spent 3 months without work because nobody wanted to employ me. I've found a job now, but it wasn't easy.

It riles me up when I hear people with their smug superior attitudes towards benefits, assuming that anyone on any kind of benefit is a fraud or scrounger. :mad:

RDM · 11 Oct 2008 at 10:12

SlyReaper said:
Just because you're able bodied doesn't automatically mean you can just walk straight into a job. Hell, since graduating from uni, I've spent 3 months without work because nobody wanted to employ me. I've found a job now, but it wasn't easy.

It riles me up when I hear people with their smug superior attitudes towards benefits, assuming that anyone on any kind of benefit is a fraud or scrounger.

Funny thing is I have never been unemployed, day after I lost my job, called up several agencies and was working the next day. I have a reasonably nice IT job now but in the past have done whatever it took to pay the mortgage. Chicken factory, call centres, whatever would bring in money.

There is literally no excuse for not working if you are able to, you just need to lower your standards and expectations and be prepared to work hard without bitching and moaning about it.