20,000 migrant workers register for London Olympics jobs - despite pledge to provide work for local people
Promises of a 'skills legacy' from the London Olympics were in doubt today as it emerged that 20,000 migrant workers had registered for jobs in the main 2012 borough in the past year.
The surge in new National Insurance numbers in Newham has prompted concerns over pledges to provide thousands of skilled construction jobs to the local community.
The surge in new National Insurance numbers in Newham has prompted concerns over pledges to provide thousands of skilled construction jobs to the local community.
About 2,700 workers are on the Olympics site, rising to 9,000 by 2010. Estimates of the number of migrant workers there - mostly from Poland and Baltic states within the European Union - range from 10 to 70 per cent.
According to the Olympic Delivery Authority's last month employment figures for the Olympic Park, 58 per cent of the 2,700 workforce were resident in London and 24 per cent from the East End. However, the figures do not indicate the worker's nationality - or how long they have lived in Britain.
Labour MP Frank Field, who published the National Insurance figures, said: 'It is totally lawful but British taxpayers and lottery players are paying for jobs for foreign workers and it is not what we signed up for."'
The ODA has promised a skills legacy for east London and is in the forefront of the Government's agenda under which Gordon Brown promised 'British jobs for British workers'.
The ODA has a plant training school at the Olympic Park and says one in 10 of its workforce was previously unemployed. But the ODA is also under pressure to balance its books after losing £500million in private sector investment in a year with the credit crunch and, according to unions, has targeted savings on labour costs.
Construction workers' union Ucatt is increasing pressure on the ODA to continue to honour agreed minimum site rates. It is thought that migrant workers hired through agencies are typically paid up to £2 less per hour than their British counterparts.
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5 comments:
Well well, what a suprise...........When are we going to start fighting back?
It will be cheaper that way - have them working on the lump = no tax nor NI contributions.
None of this will make any difference,once the poles and related filth begin to dominate a site,you do not get a look in if you are not one of them,they will only let thier own apply,after extracting payment of course
We have to pay tax, why don't they? FUCKING CHEEK!!!!!
The Irish did that on the sites for as long as I can remember.
If your not a paddy your the last in the queue.
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