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AUSTIN BIRKS

AUSTIN BIRKS. Commercial Manager Go West Midlands Bus Company and Winner of the European Year of Workers’ Mobility Award 2006. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. AN EMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE ON EUROPEAN RECRUITMENT SINCE MAY 2004. In the Beginning…. MAY 2004 Welcome to the enlarged Europe:

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AUSTIN BIRKS

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  1. AUSTIN BIRKS Commercial Manager Go West Midlands Bus Company and Winner of the European Year of Workers’ Mobility Award 2006

  2. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY AN EMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE ON EUROPEAN RECRUITMENT SINCE MAY 2004

  3. In the Beginning…. MAY 2004 • Welcome to the enlarged Europe: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia • Warm welcome from UK, Ireland and Sweden who impose no restrictions on entry other than WRS in the UK

  4. EU Message on Migration • Created the principles of partnership • Dignity and Equality • Treat everyone the same and fairly • Respect culture and change • Create a process of training and employment

  5. UK Recruitment • UK unemployment lowest for 40 years • A typical British Company in May 2003 • The reality: a shortage of 800 drivers • My job was to find 800 drivers….fast

  6. The Perception of Migrants is… • They will take our jobs • They will keep wage rates down • They will sponge off the state • They will create more crime • Mixed Reactions from public and employers • Negative press promised the ‘floodgates would open’

  7. The Good

  8. The Concept • A tailored English language training programme • Relevant vocational bus driver training • A process of induction for all • Making integration easy • Accommodation, welcome packsWRS, NI, Health care, uniforms

  9. New Polish Recruits May 2004

  10. The Results • Feb 2007 the company have employed over 1300 staff from eastern Europe • Retention is around 90% • Staff shortage and turnover greatly reduced • Substantial Business savings • Recognised by EURES and EU as best practice

  11. Winner of the European Workers’ Mobility Award 2006

  12. The Bad…..

  13. The Bad Side of Recruitment • Deception • Exploitation • Mis-information • Unethical recruitment • Low wages and poor conditions • No language skills or provision • “Ministry warns Bulgarians and Romanians of difficulties in finding work”

  14. And the Ugly…..

  15. The Ugly Side of Recruitment • Criminality • Degradation • Cynical exploitation • Injury and death • Worst case • Telegraph Blog - David Rennie Sept 2006

  16. The Stand Off

  17. The Stand off Between…. • Government Legislation • EU Legislation • Social and Moral Constraints And • Business Expansion • Commercial Enterprise

  18. Lessons for Bulgaria • UK Employers have a positive attitude towards migrant workers • Planning and research are essential prior to recruitment • UK employers need to invest in migrants but the rewards are significant • They do need to speak English or learn it on arrival

  19. Lessons for Employers • Equality in pay and conditions reduces exploitation and resentment • Duty of care results in low staff turnover • Language training is a must not only for HSE but for customer confidence • A unified, competitive Europe is essential to compete globally

  20. The Good triumphs…..

  21. Institute of Directors Poll • Poll of 500 members of IOD found: • “Migrants were out performing indigenous employees by a large margin” • A lack of local skills was the key reason • Only 16% employed migrants because they were cheaper • Better productivity, education, reliability, skills, work ethic and less sickness

  22. Positive Benefits of Migration • CBI quote “enlargement has brought between 10 to 12 billion to the UK economy” • Unemployment remains low as vacancies have been filled • Business leaders quote a positive work ethic “Harder working and more reliable”

  23. The End

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