Migrant workers look to alternatives in recession

MANY MIGRANT workers employed in the construction sector are prepared to tough it out and accept different working arrangements and lower pay rather than leave the country, according to new research.

The study, which examines how employers and migrants are adjusting to the crisis in the sector, shows that while some immigrants are likely to leave Ireland as job losses continue, most plan on staying in the country and seeking alternative employment if possible.

The research also reveals that when looking for a new job some migrants are encountering wage offers which are significantly below the Registered Employment Agreements (REAs) that are negotiated between trade unions and employer bodies and are legally binding for the construction sector.

The Migrant Careers and Aspirations project, which is being undertaken by a research group based at Trinity College Dublin, is following a group of Polish construction workers over a two-year period to ascertain how the economic crisis is impacting on them.

The research shows that migrant workers from Poland and other eastern European countries are increasingly concerned about their employment situation.

It reveals that workers are afraid of changing jobs in the current climate and are eager to hold on to their jobs even if that involves pay cuts and increased hours.

“While people originally came here for work, once they are based here there are all sorts of things that may make them want to stay. Some of those things are blindingly obvious such as friends and family but there are also other factors like the friendliness of Irish people,” Dr James Wickham, principal investigator for the project, told The Irish Times. “Many migrants are working below the level at which they are qualified but they say that Irish workplaces are generally more friendly, more informal and allow more scope for development.”

Recent figures from the Central Statistics Office show that over 70,000 jobs have been lost in construction since 2008, with migrant workers, which accounted for 17 per cent of employees in the sector in 2007, particularly affected by lay-offs.

Unemployment among migrants from eastern Europe is running at 20 per cent, or nearly double the rate for Irish nationals.

Many of those migrants who have lost jobs recently said they would prefer to sign on and look for alternative employment rather than return home. However, Dr Wickham stressed that migrants from Poland usually only sign on as a last resort.