Migrants left out in cold as UK economy weakens

[Sankari]

Looks like the cheap labour force is on its way out.

As Britain's economy dives deeper into recession, going down with it are the jobs of thousands of migrant workers from Poland and other Eastern European nations.

It is hard enough for anyone to find a job in these difficult times, but if you don't speak English, have no address and no money, the only think you have in abundance is despair.

This is where Ewa Sadowska from the Polish charity Barka comes in. Barka has joined forces with British outreach workers to try and find homeless Poles.

They will offer them a free bus home and rehabilitation at a Barka centre in Poland.

"We encourage people to return back to Barka programs for social inclusion in Poland, as they have no recourse to public funds here and no assistance is available for them here in the United Kingdom," Ewa Sadowska said.

The pairing of Polish and UK outreach workers has been a success.

Hundreds of desperate Poles have been encouraged home and gone through the detox program.

But if they insist on staying in the UK there is not much outreach workers like Chris Murray can do.

"I can't do nothing with them. I can't get them into accommodation because they can't claim benefits," he said.
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Source.

 

[Biohazard]

You're keen!

 

[Richdog]

dirtydog will be celebrating.

 

[Sankari]

LOL, and he'll be surprised to learn that these immigrants aren't receiving benefits... and never have.

 

[Killa_ken]

BRING THEM BACK!!

 

[Nix]

BRING THEM BACK!!

Tehehe

 

[Richdog]

BRING THEM BACK!!

Heh, how amusing would it be if that were the case. Oh sweet, sweet irony...

 

[AJUK]

Good. Rats and sinking ship....

 

[Sanguinnus]

good riddance!

 

[MooMoo444]

Never agreed with them working here anyway. The fact they can do a few weeks work here, then go back to poland and their money pretty much doubles, its just not right.

 

[Spie]

This is of no concern. Unemployment is rising in the UK.

 

[Wicksta]

Never agreed with them working here anyway. The fact they can do a few weeks work here, then go back to poland and their money pretty much doubles, its just not right.

A lot of British ex-pats do similar, just because you can't be bothered or are not skilled enough to do the same doesn't make it wrong. I'm sure a lot more Brits will be doing it now with the Euro/Pound exchange rate.

 

[scorza]

I find it astonishing that it was previously possibly to get a job in this country if you couldn't speak English, and had no address. Just goes to show how out of control things were.

It's not very nice that people are suffering with homelessness etc, but we have to be hard nosed here and say that as they are Polish citizens they ought to be looked after by Poland.

 

[platypus]

This is of no concern. Unemployment is rising in the UK.

I'm all for helping needy people out, but I'm definitely with Spie on this one.

There have been forecasts of 1 in 10 people losing their jobs. We need to look after our own people first.

 

[Doran]

I love Polish people.

Shame they are gone - but better for the Polsh economy anyway.

I suggest anyone who criticises Eastern Europeans go to the countries first. Wonderful places, despite their poverty in places.

 

[arknor]

A lot of British ex-pats do similar, just because you can't be bothered or are not skilled enough to do the same doesn't make it wrong.

they do security and other more risky jobs though i thought? surely the average citizen would be glad its not them putting there life on the line where as the poles just want to do all the unskilled semi skilled work meaning we have people claiming benefits because of the poles.

 

[Solari]

I've seen quite a lot of Eastern European people out on street corners asking "Buy Big Issue please?" recently. I don't think they are having much success as there is definitely the whole "look after your own first" mentality these days, which is inevitable given the economic circumstances.

 

[Sanguinnus]

I love Polish people.

Shame they are gone - but better for the Polsh economy anyway.

I suggest anyone who criticises Eastern Europeans go to the countries first. Wonderful places, despite their poverty in places.

why don't you go with them then?

 

[Crizzy]

...they have no recourse to public funds here and no assistance is available for them here in the United Kingdom

...I can't get them into accommodation because they can't claim benefits," he said.
​

Source.

But the Polish are entitled to certain benefits, as all European citizens are. In fact some Polish are claiming benefits both in the UK and Poland!

 

[Sankari]

Never agreed with them working here anyway. The fact they can do a few weeks work here, then go back to poland and their money pretty much doubles, its just not right.

What's not right about it? Australian backpackers do this all the time. That's how half of London's bars are staffed.