Are Immigrants Really Undermining The Wages Of Low-Paid Britons?

There is a new consensus in British politics: foreign-born workers hurt the wages of British-born workers.

Ukip, which came top of the European elections, has warned vehemently about migrants undercutting hard-working, low-paid British employees in their campaign messaging.

Speaking in January, Farage said: “There is no question that it’s pushed wage inflation down; it’s helped big companies and big corporations and big landowners to make bigger profits - no argument about that.”

He said that construction workers had been badly hit by unskilled migrants bringing down wages across the sector, with Brits now earning less than ten years ago and suffering higher living costs.

Ed Miliband has weighed in too. "When millions of workers already have low pay and poor job security in Britain and we add high levels of low skilled migration mostly from within the EU, some benefit but some lose out," the Labour leader said in January, adding: "It isn't prejudiced to believe that."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/29/migrants-wages-uk-immigration_n_5409319.html?utm_hp_ref=uk&utm_hp_ref=uk





A report for the Low Pay Commission found that between 1997 and 2005, migrants made a positive contribution to the average wage-increase experienced by native Britons. Professor Christian Dustmann of UCL's Department of Economics, the report's author, said: "Economic theory shows us that immigration can provide a net boost to wages."

Others find that migrants can help boost high-paid Britons' pay packets as they can offer the right skill-set. As London School of Economics professor Jonathan Wadsworth, who sits on the government's Migration Advisory Committee, writes: "There may also be a positive effect on wages in the high wage labour markets where it may take more time for the skills that immigrants bring to transfer."

The government itself has been much warmer about the impact migrants have on Britons' pay packets. In 2008, the government's response to a House of Lords Committee on Economic Affairs stated that research "continues to find no significant evidence of negative employment effects from immigration”.

It went on to say that "migration has not had a significant negative impact on unemployment", confirming that its view was "in line with the clear consensus among most UK labour market economists."

Hi Didge

Not wishing to cast nasturtiums nor undermine your post, but it does seem a little out of date like maybe ten years

  

gerber wrote:Hi Didge

Not wishing to cast nasturtiums nor undermine your post, but it does seem a little out of date like maybe ten years  

  

Hi Gerber


The article?

Didge wrote:

gerber wrote:Hi Didge

Not wishing to cast nasturtiums nor undermine your post, but it does seem a little out of date like maybe ten years  

  

Hi Gerber


The article?

  
Article ?

gerber wrote:

Didge wrote:


Hi Gerber


The article?

  
Article ?

lol you have me at a loss Gerber, what is it you think that is out of date?

Didge wrote:

gerber wrote:


  
Article ?

lol you have me at a loss Gerber, what is it you think that is out of date?

The tin of evaporated milk on the bottom shelf of your kitchen cupboard...... The one on the left of the sink.

gerber wrote:

Didge wrote:


lol you have me at a loss Gerber, what is it you think that is out of date?

The tin of evaporated milk on the bottom shelf of your kitchen cupboard......  The one on the left of the sink.