a column by Dany Bahar, Andreas Hauptmann, Cem Özgüzel and Hillel Rapoport for VOX: CEPR’s Policy Portal
The economic debate on immigration has focused on migration’s short-term labour market and fiscal effects. Less attention has been given to the long-run economic opportunities linked to migration.
This column uses the case of refugees returning to the former Yugoslavia from Germany after the end of the Yugoslav wars to explore the role that returning migrants play in shaping the industrial development of their home country. The findings support the idea that migrants are drivers of knowhow and technology transfers between countries.
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Showing posts with label migrants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label migrants. Show all posts
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Tuesday, 8 October 2019
Migrants and Low-Paid Employment in British Workplaces
an article by Alex Bryson (University College London, UK) amd Michael White (University of Westminster, UK) published in Work, Employment and Society Volume 3434 Issue 5 (October 2019)
Abstract
Using nationally representative workplace data for Britain, we identify where migrants work and examine the partial correlation between workplace wages and whether migrants are employed at a workplace.
Three-in-ten workplaces with five or more employees employ migrant workers, with the probability rising substantially with workplace size.
We find the bottom quartile of the log earnings distribution is 4–5% lower in workplaces employing migrants, ceteris paribus.
However, the effect is confined to workplaces set up before the introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the late 1990s, consistent with the proposition that minimum wage regulation limits employers’ propensity to pay low wages in the presence of migrant workers.
Abstract
Using nationally representative workplace data for Britain, we identify where migrants work and examine the partial correlation between workplace wages and whether migrants are employed at a workplace.
Three-in-ten workplaces with five or more employees employ migrant workers, with the probability rising substantially with workplace size.
We find the bottom quartile of the log earnings distribution is 4–5% lower in workplaces employing migrants, ceteris paribus.
However, the effect is confined to workplaces set up before the introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the late 1990s, consistent with the proposition that minimum wage regulation limits employers’ propensity to pay low wages in the presence of migrant workers.
Sunday, 25 March 2018
Histories of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century immigration and our time
an article by Ranabir Samaddar (Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, India) published in Current Sociology Volume 66 Issue 2 (March 2018)
Abstract
Recent studies on welfare state and schemes suggest a different way of understanding modern governance in which the study of the nation is not at the centre of political understanding. Instead, of significance in such studies is the inadequately explored history of governing a mobile, unruly world of population flows.
These works have given us a sense of the hidden histories of conflicts, desperate survivals, and new and old networks. Studies of hunger in the nineteenth century, of itinerant movements, transportations of coolies, spread of famines, shipping of children and adult women, trafficking in sex and labour, and pieces of welfare legislation to cope with this great infamy tell us how actually we have arrived at our own time of subject formation.
This is certainly different from conventional nation-centred histories.
Working within this new strand of history writing, labour historians have tried to recognise the political significance of labour migration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Their works suggest a different way of writing the history of the nation form in the last two centuries, where the extra-nationalist narrative of mobile labour constitutes a different universe.
Through all these studies two issues have come closer as marks of modern time – on one hand mixed up, messy, population flows, provoking desperate governmental responses, on the other hand innovations at a furious pace in humanitarian methods, functions, institutions and principles.
Modern humanitarianism had to combine the old techniques with new ones of care, protection, information gathering, interference, intervention and invention of a skewed theory of sovereignty, a one-sided theory of responsibility, and the gigantic humanitarian machines which would be likened to the transnational corporations (TNCs).
In practical terms this means today managing the societies which produce the obdurate refugees and migrants to stop them from leaving the shores, to keep them within the national territorial confines, and eventually to manage societies in ‘an enlightened way’. Managing moving population groups became the deus ex machina of modern governmentality.
This will not be a straightforward history, as national, gender-related, race, and several other factors contributed to the making of a hugely heterogeneous labour market. The subjectivities produced in that process have contributed to the contentious history of our time.
Abstract
Recent studies on welfare state and schemes suggest a different way of understanding modern governance in which the study of the nation is not at the centre of political understanding. Instead, of significance in such studies is the inadequately explored history of governing a mobile, unruly world of population flows.
These works have given us a sense of the hidden histories of conflicts, desperate survivals, and new and old networks. Studies of hunger in the nineteenth century, of itinerant movements, transportations of coolies, spread of famines, shipping of children and adult women, trafficking in sex and labour, and pieces of welfare legislation to cope with this great infamy tell us how actually we have arrived at our own time of subject formation.
This is certainly different from conventional nation-centred histories.
Working within this new strand of history writing, labour historians have tried to recognise the political significance of labour migration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Their works suggest a different way of writing the history of the nation form in the last two centuries, where the extra-nationalist narrative of mobile labour constitutes a different universe.
Through all these studies two issues have come closer as marks of modern time – on one hand mixed up, messy, population flows, provoking desperate governmental responses, on the other hand innovations at a furious pace in humanitarian methods, functions, institutions and principles.
Modern humanitarianism had to combine the old techniques with new ones of care, protection, information gathering, interference, intervention and invention of a skewed theory of sovereignty, a one-sided theory of responsibility, and the gigantic humanitarian machines which would be likened to the transnational corporations (TNCs).
In practical terms this means today managing the societies which produce the obdurate refugees and migrants to stop them from leaving the shores, to keep them within the national territorial confines, and eventually to manage societies in ‘an enlightened way’. Managing moving population groups became the deus ex machina of modern governmentality.
This will not be a straightforward history, as national, gender-related, race, and several other factors contributed to the making of a hugely heterogeneous labour market. The subjectivities produced in that process have contributed to the contentious history of our time.
Wednesday, 8 November 2017
Migrant infrastructure: Transaction economies in Birmingham and Leicester, UK
an article by Suzanne Hall and Julia King (London School of Economics and Political Science, UK) and Robin Finlay (Newcastle University, UK) published in Urban Studies Volume 54 Issue 6 (2017)
Abstract
Infrastructure convenes social relations, thereby revealing how city dwellers access shared resources in the context of growing inequality. Our exploration of migrant infrastructure engages with how highly variegated migrant groups develop a ‘transaction economy’ (Simone, 2004) within marginalised city streets, exchanging goods and services, and information and care.
In the context of ethnically diverse and deprived urban places, where state resources are increasingly diminished, we explore how a precarious yet skilled resourcefulness emerges through the street.
Our empirical exploration of migrant infrastructure is located on Rookery Road in Birmingham and on Narborough Road in Leicester, and draws on qualitative surveys with 195 self-employed proprietors from many countries of origin. The streets reveal transaction economies that intersect local and migratory resources, eluding the categorisation of cities associated with either a global North or a global South.
Further, the lively nature of street transactions decentres western-centric measures of economic value. From the street, we develop a postcolonial analysis of infrastructure that relates properties of historic depth (power), socio-spatial texture (materiality) and locality (place).
Abstract
Infrastructure convenes social relations, thereby revealing how city dwellers access shared resources in the context of growing inequality. Our exploration of migrant infrastructure engages with how highly variegated migrant groups develop a ‘transaction economy’ (Simone, 2004) within marginalised city streets, exchanging goods and services, and information and care.
In the context of ethnically diverse and deprived urban places, where state resources are increasingly diminished, we explore how a precarious yet skilled resourcefulness emerges through the street.
Our empirical exploration of migrant infrastructure is located on Rookery Road in Birmingham and on Narborough Road in Leicester, and draws on qualitative surveys with 195 self-employed proprietors from many countries of origin. The streets reveal transaction economies that intersect local and migratory resources, eluding the categorisation of cities associated with either a global North or a global South.
Further, the lively nature of street transactions decentres western-centric measures of economic value. From the street, we develop a postcolonial analysis of infrastructure that relates properties of historic depth (power), socio-spatial texture (materiality) and locality (place).
Wednesday, 21 August 2013
“Sometimes I just wish I never hear of this term bilingual worker”: difficult clients, emotion work and interpreting with migrants
an article by Geraldine Lee-Treweek (Manchester Metropolitan University Cheshire, Crewe, UK) published in International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion Volume 5 Number 3 (2013)
Abstract
As transmigration to the UK has increased, so has the need for workers who can provide support to these new communities and carry out the interpretation of different languages.
This paper examines the emotional labour of the bilingual worker role, a relatively new occupational group, from the perspective of bilingual workers themselves. They carry out interpretation work within communities of migrants that speak the worker’s language but, unlike official translators, they usually only have lower level qualifications that only cover face-to-face interpretation skills. “Bilingual work” involves the worker deploying their (usually) home language skills within the workplace.
In the UK, such workers are employed within a host of public services and third sector organisations and are usually recent migrants themselves. This paper reports on an exploratory qualitative study of the emotional labour of 16 Polish bilingual workers, who are also recent migrants to the UK and work on the frontline within public service organisations.
It demonstrates that various strategies are deployed to handle aspects emotional labour and that the stress of such work comes from both organisational expectations and from the difficult clients they often have to interpret for.
The problems raised at work are shown to continue into the community environment, where means of coping appear to be grounded, where possible, in creating physical separation from one’s own community.
Abstract
As transmigration to the UK has increased, so has the need for workers who can provide support to these new communities and carry out the interpretation of different languages.
This paper examines the emotional labour of the bilingual worker role, a relatively new occupational group, from the perspective of bilingual workers themselves. They carry out interpretation work within communities of migrants that speak the worker’s language but, unlike official translators, they usually only have lower level qualifications that only cover face-to-face interpretation skills. “Bilingual work” involves the worker deploying their (usually) home language skills within the workplace.
In the UK, such workers are employed within a host of public services and third sector organisations and are usually recent migrants themselves. This paper reports on an exploratory qualitative study of the emotional labour of 16 Polish bilingual workers, who are also recent migrants to the UK and work on the frontline within public service organisations.
It demonstrates that various strategies are deployed to handle aspects emotional labour and that the stress of such work comes from both organisational expectations and from the difficult clients they often have to interpret for.
The problems raised at work are shown to continue into the community environment, where means of coping appear to be grounded, where possible, in creating physical separation from one’s own community.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
‘Good when they want to be’: migrant workers in the supermarket supply chain
an article by Paul Thompson, Kirsty Newsome and Joanna Commander (Department of Human Resource Management, University of Strathclyde, UK) published in Human Resource Management Journal Volume 23 Issue 2 (April 2013)
Abstract
Despite the increased attention paid to the role and effects of migrant labour in the contemporary economy, there has been insufficient attention to the role of employers and the employment relationship.
Recent studies have highlighted distinctive labour power characteristics of new labour migrants from Central and Eastern Europe that make them ‘good workers’ in the eyes of employers.
Drawing on multiple case studies across the supermarket supply chain, this article explores what kind of human resource migrant labour is perceived to be, particularly by employers, and what happens in practice as the dynamic tensions of the employment relationship unfolds in particular sector contexts.
It argues that utilisation is conditioned more by the requirements of temporal flexibility – framed by the dynamics of employment within the supply chain – than any essential features of migrant labour power.
Abstract
Despite the increased attention paid to the role and effects of migrant labour in the contemporary economy, there has been insufficient attention to the role of employers and the employment relationship.
Recent studies have highlighted distinctive labour power characteristics of new labour migrants from Central and Eastern Europe that make them ‘good workers’ in the eyes of employers.
Drawing on multiple case studies across the supermarket supply chain, this article explores what kind of human resource migrant labour is perceived to be, particularly by employers, and what happens in practice as the dynamic tensions of the employment relationship unfolds in particular sector contexts.
It argues that utilisation is conditioned more by the requirements of temporal flexibility – framed by the dynamics of employment within the supply chain – than any essential features of migrant labour power.
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Living on the Move: Mobility, Religion and Exclusion of Eastern European Migrants in Rural Scotland
an article by Sergei Shubin (Swansea University, Wales) published in Population, Space and Place Volume 18 Issue 5 (September/October 2012)
Abstract
The paper explores theoretical and practical issues related to spiritual mobility and engagement with Eastern European migrants in rural Scotland.
Emerging mobile lifestyles create different patterns of living ‘on the move’, but the church and other rural institutions in Scotland often fail to attend to migrants’ affective relationships with existing immigrant communities, unpredictable travelling behaviour, and cross-border spiritual links.
For this gap to be addressed, the paper develops a complex understanding of migrants living on the move. It suggests adding a spiritual element to the analysis of transnational mobilities and explores the ways in which constellations of mobility and religion generate more-than-corporeal dislocations (faith-based sensations), generate virtual movement (beyond rationality to the outside of knowing), and create new imaginations of the migrants’ place in the world.
It argues that the spiritual can be seen as an important factor in producing new social worlds and overcoming the separations and division created by migrations.
Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract
The paper explores theoretical and practical issues related to spiritual mobility and engagement with Eastern European migrants in rural Scotland.
Emerging mobile lifestyles create different patterns of living ‘on the move’, but the church and other rural institutions in Scotland often fail to attend to migrants’ affective relationships with existing immigrant communities, unpredictable travelling behaviour, and cross-border spiritual links.
For this gap to be addressed, the paper develops a complex understanding of migrants living on the move. It suggests adding a spiritual element to the analysis of transnational mobilities and explores the ways in which constellations of mobility and religion generate more-than-corporeal dislocations (faith-based sensations), generate virtual movement (beyond rationality to the outside of knowing), and create new imaginations of the migrants’ place in the world.
It argues that the spiritual can be seen as an important factor in producing new social worlds and overcoming the separations and division created by migrations.
Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Working conditions of nationals with a foreign background
a report from EWCO (European Working Conditions Observatory) by Miet Lamberts and Fernando Pauwels (ID: TN1012015S)
This report presents an overview of the employment and working conditions of nationals with a foreign background (NFB) and nationals with a different ethnic affiliation (NEA) based on reports from national correspondents. It highlights the scarcity of relevant data on these groups in EU countries and the different interpretation of EU legislation in debates across the EU27 on ethnic data collection. The picture painted of the work quality of NFB/NEA is not straightforward as, although the prevalence of precarious work is sometimes higher in this group, non-nationals are often worse off. There are large differences in the labour market participation of NFB/NEA between EU countries. Apart from foreign background, other factors such as gender, ethnic origin and skills play a role. Nevertheless, stereotyping and discrimination are mentioned as an important determinant in at least 14 countries. Many EU countries still have a lot to learn about tackling work-related discrimination complaints.
The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EWCO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.
Comparative study (appears to be HTML only – believe me, I’ve tried to find a PDF)
Contributing articles (27 of them) accessible here
UK here
This report presents an overview of the employment and working conditions of nationals with a foreign background (NFB) and nationals with a different ethnic affiliation (NEA) based on reports from national correspondents. It highlights the scarcity of relevant data on these groups in EU countries and the different interpretation of EU legislation in debates across the EU27 on ethnic data collection. The picture painted of the work quality of NFB/NEA is not straightforward as, although the prevalence of precarious work is sometimes higher in this group, non-nationals are often worse off. There are large differences in the labour market participation of NFB/NEA between EU countries. Apart from foreign background, other factors such as gender, ethnic origin and skills play a role. Nevertheless, stereotyping and discrimination are mentioned as an important determinant in at least 14 countries. Many EU countries still have a lot to learn about tackling work-related discrimination complaints.
The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EWCO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.
Comparative study (appears to be HTML only – believe me, I’ve tried to find a PDF)
Contributing articles (27 of them) accessible here
UK here
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Forced labour …
exploitation of migrant workers in Northern Ireland
As might be expected, research on this issue wasn’t easy to do: given their circumstances, the migrant workers were understandably reluctant to talk about their experiences. Despite this, the research (led by the Institute for Conflict Research in Belfast) uncovered employer behaviour that demonstrated deliberate exploitation and, in some cases, forced labour. The majority of workers interviewed had the right to live and work in the UK.
The study used the International Labour Organisation's indicators of forced labour and found evidence of all of these indicators:
Although the UK already has a wide range of legislation to tackle labour exploitation, it seems some employers still create and exploit vulnerability among migrant workers. The study makes significant recommendations for the Northern Ireland Government, community organisations, employers, and trade unions to work with.
We hope this study will contribute to ending the exploitation of migrant workers in Northern Ireland. Over the next few months JRF will be publishing more research on the topic of forced labour. It will reveal new evidence of the problem elsewhere in the UK, what the causes are and what we need to do if we are to eradicate severe exploitation of the most vulnerable workers.
Read the report summary (PDF 4pp 0.1MB) or the full report (PDF 70pp 0.3MB)
The first study to explore forced labour of migrant workers in Northern Ireland was published on 7 June 2011 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
As might be expected, research on this issue wasn’t easy to do: given their circumstances, the migrant workers were understandably reluctant to talk about their experiences. Despite this, the research (led by the Institute for Conflict Research in Belfast) uncovered employer behaviour that demonstrated deliberate exploitation and, in some cases, forced labour. The majority of workers interviewed had the right to live and work in the UK.
The study used the International Labour Organisation's indicators of forced labour and found evidence of all of these indicators:
- Jobs often did not match the promises made to migrant workers before they left home or started their jobs.
- Workers reported very long hours of work for less than the minimum wage.
- Working conditions were often poor, with lack of regard paid to health and safety.
- There were examples of paperwork – such as identity documents – being taken away by employers, and sometimes payslips were non-existent or incomplete.
- Some workers were not able to claim sick pay and were expected to be at the beck and call of their employer.
- In extreme cases, researchers found instances of workers subjected to acts or threats of physical violence.
Although the UK already has a wide range of legislation to tackle labour exploitation, it seems some employers still create and exploit vulnerability among migrant workers. The study makes significant recommendations for the Northern Ireland Government, community organisations, employers, and trade unions to work with.
We hope this study will contribute to ending the exploitation of migrant workers in Northern Ireland. Over the next few months JRF will be publishing more research on the topic of forced labour. It will reveal new evidence of the problem elsewhere in the UK, what the causes are and what we need to do if we are to eradicate severe exploitation of the most vulnerable workers.
Read the report summary (PDF 4pp 0.1MB) or the full report (PDF 70pp 0.3MB)
Monday, 10 March 2008
HSMP Forum
from Intute's Social Sciences Politics gateway
You can find the Forum here.
The HSMP Forum is a UK-based voluntary organisation which represents the interests of highly-skilled immigrants. It is critical of UK government actions to restrict the rights of highly-skilled workers to enter Britain. Its website provides free access to information on its aims and activities. It includes press releases, discussion of UK legislation and campaign notes.
You can find the Forum here.
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