Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

Just listened in wonder to a radio discussion where they were ringing in to say they (employers) were actively recruiting eastern Europeans rather than us Brits as they work harder they had examples of people giving birth and returning to work within days and fathers refusing to leave work when their partners were having babies in hospital as they worked. Asking for Christmas and weekend shifts so they could work 365 days a year.

I sat down with a thump thinking what sort of society will that build , OK physically I am willing to do that as I am sure many others are too, but no time off ? none at all ? work till we die ?

Now how does that fit with family life, with a healthy mind and a chance to actually live a bit ?


Anyone else want to join this new world where we work all day everyday with no time to do anything but work ?

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

I think the trouble is we are not the workers we once were, I was there to do a good job and earned my money, as many others did - its not like that now, in my opinion ....
The option of foreign workers, working till they drop is not good either - why is there never a good balance.
On the news were young people from Tailand, who do 2 school shifts and dont get home till 11pm then up next morning after a few hours of sleep, 6am to start again, this is everyday. The nation is proud as their economy is so good and they base this on good education, BUT - they have the highest suicide rates among the young

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

This is exactly what the large Corporations and greedy Rich want. To make people believe that if they don't work for a pittance 16 hours a day with no holidays or sick time.. they will be replaced by those that will. In the States most of our big manufacturing jobs have been sent to 3rd world countries where people are happy to be slaves, and regulations for clean air and water do not cut into the bottom line. It's ALL about profit.. To hell with people. One has to wonder where all this will lead. When Corporations and the wealthy succeed in getting ALL the money to the top, who will be there to buy their products and make them even richer? Can they make money only selling to each other? This is why pure Capitalism does NOT work.. eventually, like a cancer, it kills it's host and goes to the grave with it.

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

Look at City workers who burn out at young ages, or who have committed suicide because they were expected to work all hours!

Sorry, not for me. I can't understand this 'work till you drop' ethic either! Either it's ingrained in them from birth or they just don't have the separate life of hobbies and interests that we enjoy.

I thought it a joy when I joined my recent hospital (about 2008) and discovered there wasn't such a thing as 'overtime'! We left at 5pm. Saying that, nowadays, they do have to watch their timekeeping and get on with the work, as they're being monitored.

Glad I'm out of the workplace.

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

Good post Audrey !

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

Audrey hit it on the head didn't she !

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

I resent the claim that immigrants work harder than the British - there are lazy, workshy people of every race and it's used as an excuse to employ immigrant workers at a lower rate and poorer working standards imo.

It sounds as though we are going back to the time of Dickens' A Christmas Carol - pity they won't be getting a visit from 3 ghosts in a few weeks.

This whole attitude reinforces my belief that society just isn't worth bothering with.

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

Yes, she did.

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

Ooooohhhhh I've heard it all - 'our' Audrey is paraphrasing Karl Marx's observations on Capitalism.

Re: Immigrants work harder than UK citizens ?

they work cheap and illegals work even cheaper, who mainly suffer for it, our elderly, and sick who get non english speaking carers who take food and drink away because the patient either can't see it has been brought ( as in the case of my Mum) too far to reach, or too ill to care, it used to be someones job to encourage them to eat but they have to understand the language and how do homecarers with no english make sure they are taking the right medicine