AUSTIN BIRKSAUSTIN BIRKS

Commercial ManagerCommercial Manager

Go West Midlands Bus CompanyGo West Midlands Bus Company

and Winner of the European Year and Winner of the European Year of Workers’ Mobility Award 2006of Workers’ Mobility Award 2006

THE GOOD, THE BAD ANDTHE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY THE UGLY

AN EMPLOYERS AN EMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE ON PERSPECTIVE ON

EUROPEAN RECRUITMENT EUROPEAN RECRUITMENT SINCE MAY 2004SINCE MAY 2004

In the Beginning….In the Beginning….

MAY 2004MAY 2004Welcome to the enlarged Europe:Welcome to the enlarged Europe:

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Hungary,Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,

Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Warm welcome from UK, Ireland and Warm welcome from UK, Ireland and Sweden who impose no restrictions Sweden who impose no restrictions on entry other than WRS in the UKon entry other than WRS in the UK

EU Message on Migration EU Message on Migration

Created the principles of Created the principles of partnershippartnership

Dignity and EqualityDignity and EqualityTreat everyone the same and fairlyTreat everyone the same and fairlyRespect culture and changeRespect culture and changeCreate a process of training and Create a process of training and

employment employment

UK RecruitmentUK Recruitment

UK unemployment lowest for 40 UK unemployment lowest for 40 yearsyears

A typical British Company in May A typical British Company in May 20032003

The reality: a shortage of 800 The reality: a shortage of 800 driversdrivers

My job was to find 800 My job was to find 800 drivers….fastdrivers….fast

The Perception of Migrants The Perception of Migrants is…is…

They will take our jobsThey will take our jobsThey will keep wage rates downThey will keep wage rates downThey will sponge off the stateThey will sponge off the stateThey will create more crime They will create more crime Mixed Reactions from public and Mixed Reactions from public and

employersemployersNegative press promised the Negative press promised the

‘floodgates would open’‘floodgates would open’

The GoodThe Good

The ConceptThe Concept

A tailored English language A tailored English language training programmetraining programme

Relevant vocational bus driver Relevant vocational bus driver trainingtraining

A process of induction for allA process of induction for allMaking integration easy Making integration easy Accommodation, welcome packsAccommodation, welcome packs

WRS, NI, Health care, uniforms WRS, NI, Health care, uniforms

New Polish Recruits May 2004New Polish Recruits May 2004

The ResultsThe Results

Feb 2007 the company have employed Feb 2007 the company have employed over 1300 staff from eastern Europeover 1300 staff from eastern Europe

Retention is around 90%Retention is around 90%Staff shortage and turnover greatly Staff shortage and turnover greatly

reducedreducedSubstantial Business savingsSubstantial Business savingsRecognised by EURES and EU as best Recognised by EURES and EU as best

practicepractice

Winner of the European Winner of the European Workers’ Mobility Award 2006Workers’ Mobility Award 2006

The Bad…..The Bad…..

The Bad Side of RecruitmentThe Bad Side of Recruitment

DeceptionDeceptionExploitationExploitationMis-informationMis-informationUnethical recruitmentUnethical recruitmentLow wages and poor conditions Low wages and poor conditions No language skills or provisionNo language skills or provision““Ministry warns Bulgarians and Ministry warns Bulgarians and

Romanians of difficulties in finding Romanians of difficulties in finding work”work”

And the Ugly…..And the Ugly…..

The Ugly Side of RecruitmentThe Ugly Side of Recruitment

Criminality Criminality DegradationDegradationCynical exploitationCynical exploitation Injury and deathInjury and deathWorst caseWorst caseTelegraph Blog - David Rennie Sept Telegraph Blog - David Rennie Sept

20062006

The Stand OffThe Stand Off

The Stand off Between….The Stand off Between….

Government LegislationGovernment LegislationEU LegislationEU LegislationSocial and Moral ConstraintsSocial and Moral Constraints

And And

Business ExpansionBusiness ExpansionCommercial EnterpriseCommercial Enterprise

Lessons for BulgariaLessons for Bulgaria

UK Employers have a positive attitude UK Employers have a positive attitude towards migrant workerstowards migrant workers

Planning and research are essential Planning and research are essential prior to recruitmentprior to recruitment

UK employers need to invest in UK employers need to invest in migrants but the rewards are migrants but the rewards are significant significant

They do need to speak English or learn They do need to speak English or learn it on arrivalit on arrival

Lessons for EmployersLessons for Employers

Equality in pay and conditions Equality in pay and conditions reduces exploitation and resentmentreduces exploitation and resentment

Duty of care results in low staff Duty of care results in low staff turnover turnover

Language training is a must not only Language training is a must not only for HSE but for customer confidencefor HSE but for customer confidence

A unified, competitive Europe is A unified, competitive Europe is essential to compete globally essential to compete globally

The Good triumphs…..The Good triumphs…..

Institute of Directors PollInstitute of Directors Poll

Poll of 500 members of IOD found:Poll of 500 members of IOD found:““Migrants were out performing Migrants were out performing

indigenous employees by a large margin”indigenous employees by a large margin”A lack of local skills was the key reasonA lack of local skills was the key reasonOnly 16% employed migrants because Only 16% employed migrants because

they were cheaperthey were cheaperBetter productivity, education, reliability, Better productivity, education, reliability,

skills, work ethic and less sickness skills, work ethic and less sickness

Positive Benefits of MigrationPositive Benefits of Migration

CBI quote “enlargement has brought CBI quote “enlargement has brought between 10 to 12 billion to the UK between 10 to 12 billion to the UK economy”economy”

Unemployment remains low as Unemployment remains low as vacancies have been filledvacancies have been filled

Business leaders quote a positive Business leaders quote a positive work ethic work ethic

“ “Harder working and more reliable”Harder working and more reliable”

The EndThe End