A report on migrant workers in the UK has been criticised by the Association of Labour Providers as out of date. The report published this week by the Oxford University migration centre COMPAS and funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Economic & Social Research Council surveyed 600 migrants in sectors including farming and horticulture before and after EU enlargement in 2004.
“There is not a lot that is relevant in the report for employers,” said ALP chairman Mark Boleat. “It is far too old - we work on information that is much more up to date than that.”
Some of the reports key findings were that new migrants face barriers with only a third having taken English classes to aid them with integration. “The English language point has been put to us before,” said Boleat. “But my members do not have the margin to provide classes. Many of the migrant workers are here to earn money in a short period of time and do not want to spend time in a classroom. Many of them are here to learn English and there other ways to do that than sitting in a classroom.”
Report co-author Ben Rogaly of the University of Sussex found that cost and long working hours were a factor in the low uptake of English classes. But there were examples of good practice. “What was interesting to note was that the workers on the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme had a higher degree of satisfaction with accommodation than others,” said Rogaly. “Maybe this is because it is regulated, but it is interesting to note given proposals to do away with the scheme.”
And Nigel Jenney, ceo of the Fresh Produce Consortium highlighted that there were many examples of good practice in terms of integration of migrant and eastern European workers within the fresh produce industry. “For example, this year’s Re:fresh young person of the year Pawel Skarpetowski of Stubbins holds seminars for his colleagues to learn Polish and his compatriots on the team to learn English and has become a valuable member of the team in three years.”
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