EU Migrant Workers, Brexit and Precarity
Polish women’s perspectives from inside the UK
Eva A Duda-Mikulin
Written by one of their own, this book provides a unique insight into the lives of Polish migrant women workers in Britain. Duda-Mikulin was one of thousands who left the former Soviet bloc country when it joined, along with seven other Central European nations, the European Union in 2004.
Britain had a labour and skills shortage plus an ageing population and was thus an attractive location to move to for young Poles, especially for those from rural areas and small towns, seeking a better life and some adventure. Over 80% making the journey were aged 18-34.
This was a second wave of migrants from Poland to Britain, the first arriving to escape Nazi occupation during WWII and amongst whom were pilots who played an essential role in the Battle of Britain. 200,000 Poles stayed in Britain after 1945 and have fully integrated.
Today there are 907,000 Poles living here with more females, 467,000, than males. Internationally the number of migrant workers is roughly equal between men and women, at 48%. Yet very often the image portrayed of a migrant worker is male and single.
The author was keen to show that migrant women, even those with primary care responsibilities in Britain and back home, are workers in their own right. They thus have needs that need acknowledging so that they can feel valued such that new policies can be adopted to help improve their lives and those of their families and friends.
40 interviews were conducted with 32 women, some of whom have returned to Poland, where work is now more plentiful than before, whilst others, a minority, are now, following the 2016 vote to leave the EU, seeking to regularise their stay here by seeking permanent residency. It is likely to be a lengthy process for many as the Government has been unable to clarity many questions that are troubling EU residents.
As regards Brexit, the general view of the women, was expressed by Kamelia, “Brexit was all to do with getting rid of immigrants.”
The interviews reveal a mutual suspicion between the migrant workers and residents of areas where they moved to and those they have worked alongside.
The interviewees worked across many sectors, many migrant women are employed in wholesale, retail, hotels and restaurants and as nurses and health visitors. There are more women migrant workers than male in agriculture. Many rates of pay are poor, long hours are the norm and employment can be insecure. Zero hours contracts are not unusual.
The women though are politically aware, many are highly qualified, and know their labour is needed across many sectors, especially in London. They also know that Britain is an ageing society. Migrant women have seen their rights to welfare benefits increasingly restricted and as they are generally also the first to undertake care and/or parental responsibilities, including for those back home, this has created a more hostile environment for them.
All of this is causing many to question staying in the long run. It is clear from their own voices that if these women are not guaranteed status they will look elsewhere for work. “We are viewed as second class citizens” said Olivia, a women in her 40s and so “I am not prepared to bend over backwards.”
According to the author, the interviews, which are representative of EU migrants, who contribute more than they take out in tax and benefits, to the UK reveal a need for greater gender equality especially around work life balances and more family friendly initiatives. High fertility rates across migrant communities are halting the ageing process across the UK and migrant workers are fulfilling essential roles in alleviating skill shortages in many sectors of the economy.
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