Cheap Polish labour pushes British workers out of the construction industry

From the Times ('Labour costs are too high if I employ Brits', December 21):

Rae Borras is the chairman of Borras Construction Group, which has an annual turnover of £55 million.

He has always employed British construction workers, but is finding himself under increasing pressure to hire Poles because their cheaper labour rates enable his firm to remain competitive.

“The construction industry is facing a serious dilemma. My company installs kitchens and bathrooms in council houses, but labour costs are 20 per cent cheaper if I employ Polish sub-contractors,” he said.

“Many of my competitors now price according to Polish rates, so should I therefore tender for work at competitive rates and put guys who’ve been working for me for 25 years on the dole, or do I rely on clients to say they’ll pay me extra money for using local labour? I’m unlikely to win contracts if I employ Brits, because the labour costs are too high.”

[. . .]

Read all of the Times article.

People who defend illegal immigrants in Canada say our construction industry needs these workers, but it's the same story here as in Britain. Canadians will do the work if they are paid enough, but the construction industry finds it cheaper to hire illegal immigrants willing to work for less.

See also:

BC unions say foreign workers are being hired to replace fired Canadians

Edward S. Rubenstein: Immigration causing income inequality in the US.

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