MANPOWER: ‘EU ENLARGEMENT
UNLIKELY TO TRIGGER FLOOD OF MIGRANT LABOUR’
“Enlargement of the EU Union on 1 May could
be an answer to tackling skills shortages in the UK,” comments
Ruth Hounslow, Head of Public Affairs for Manpower UK. “Contrary
to much speculation, it is unlikely to result in a flood of migrant
labour from the East to the West, however there will be an opportunity
for employers to tap into new pools of labour from new member states.”
On 1 May, 10 countries from Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean
join the existing 15 Member States to form an enlarged European
Union. Manpower believes the effects of migration and any threat
to UK jobs will be minimal.
Historic precedents suggest any movement of labour after enlargement
will be limited. The EU has expanded in the past to take in low-wage
economies without triggering mass movement of economic migrants.
Spain joined the EU in 1986 with wage rates significantly lower
than the rest of Europe.
Mass migration did not result - in fact quite the opposite. Spaniards
living elsewhere in Europe moved back to Spain and over a five or
six year period, wage levels normalised in almost every job category.
Migration that will occur, is most likely to be temporary given
the potential for economic growth in the accession countries, as
well as the high cultural costs of migration such as separation
from family members and language barriers.
In support of this, a recent Eurobarometer study shows that even
under conditions of full freedom of movement, migration from all
new Member States to all current Member States would be likely to
be about 1% in total of the working age population of the new Member
States over the next five years.
Adds Hounslow: “Some movement is of course likely and will
be welcomed by employers in the UK where there are skill shortages.
For example, there is a 40,000 HGV driver shortage in the UK but
there are drivers in the accession countries that could help fill
this gap. With stringent vetting processes, language tests and training
programmes, these drivers would be welcome relief to those distribution
companies that are currently finding the driver shortage tough on
business.
“Other industries in the UK such as the medical sector, construction
and IT may also welcome a wider labour pool to choose from. UK employers
however, need to continue to invest in UK workforces, training and
developing them to ensure a skilled, readily available labour pool
is sustainable.“
- Ends -
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Manpower
Manpower is the UK’s leading workforce management company,
specialising in permanent and temporary recruitment, HR services,
managed services, outsourcing and HR consultancy.
Manpower has been established in the UK since 1956 and today works
with organisations in both the public and private sector. Manpower’s
UK-wide network of 300 offices allows the company to meet the needs
of local and national customers. This includes numerous small and
medium sized enterprises, as well as larger organisations such as
BMW, BT, Heinz, Hertfordshire County Council, IBM, National Blood
Service, New Deal South Wales, Royal Mail and Xerox.
The focus of Manpower’s work is on raising productivity through
improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction, enabling customers
to concentrate on their core business.
Manpower has a highly skilled workforce of 100,000 temporary employees
who stay loyal to the company (and its customers) thanks to best
in class employment benefits. These include a contract of employment
and a free e-learning tool offering staff over 1,000 courses in
a diverse range of subjects, keeping Manpower’s workforce
up to date with today’s ever-changing working environment.
For further information, please contact the Manpower Press Office
on 020 8870 2214. Or you can e-mail us by selecting Press
Office from the Contact
Us page.
