McCollum & Findley (2015)

What is it about?

The analysis focuses on East-Central Europeans in Britain; a sizeable cohort of largely economic and recent migrants. The authors do interviews with employers and recruiters to assess the idea they have of migrant workers and how these ideas sustain the migrant workforce in the UK labor market.

This group of migrants is seen as flexible because of geopolitical practicalities and practices of employers, who prefer this group of workers over natives or other migrant groups. E-Europeans and more likely to work harder for less pay, and are therefore placed in more precarious working conditions.

Key themes in ‘Flexible’ Workers for ‘Flexible’ Jobs? The Labour Market Function of A8 Migrant Labour in the UK by McCollum & Findley (2015)

1. The ‘function’ of East-Central European migrant labour in the UK labour market

2. How do Eastern-Europeans fit the image of flexible workers

3. How do employment practices maintain this idea of Eastern-Europeans as flexible workers

‘Flexible’ Workers for ‘Flexible’ Jobs? … by McCollum & Findley (2015):

The ‘function’ of East-Central European migrant labour in the UK labour market

• It could be that employers see Eastern-Europeans as a more desirable workforce, because they have ideas of them being more hardworking, and willing to do more for less

• This might contribute to the growht of ‘flexible’ employment

‘Flexible’ Workers for ‘Flexible’ Jobs? … by McCollum & Findley (2015):

How do Eastern-Europeans fit the image of flexible workers (rather than UK workers or other migrant groups)

• Through the interviews, it became apparent that “many employers regarded migrants as central to their functioning, either by taking on the flexible function of the workforce or by being the ‘core’ workforce itself”

• Eastern Eurpean workers are often in jobs that earn not only lower wages than their UK counterparts but also other migrant groups in the workforce

• (This could easily contribute to a hierarchy of migrants)

• Many employers acknowledged that it was a combination of low incomes in workers’ home countries and legislation that makes E-Europeans a ‘flexible’ workforce

‘Flexible’ Workers for ‘Flexible’ Jobs? … by McCollum & Findley (2015):

How do employment practices maintain this idea of Eastern-Europeans as flexible workers

• “When asked to elaborate on what constituted this positive work ethic, many respondents alluded to A8 workers being a workforce that could be drawn on when required and easily not utilized when not.”

• Employers, through their practices and preferences, are also active agents in facilitating the production of these workers as a flexible labour force, as they choose these workers over other native and migrant groups

• Some tactics to include E-Europeans as flexible workers include:

  1. Use of agency labour

  2. Fixed-term and zero-hour contracts

  3. Piece rate pay (in agriculture)

  4. Recruitment through informal migrant social networks