Oh no!! Brexit not going quite as well as hoped

[glasgowcyclist]

I don't blame foreigners. UK employers need to be stood up to. If we have ceded so much control it is our fault.

In the context of racism and immigration, I see no other way to interpret your comment:

There is a difference between racism and disliking cheap labour pushing wages down.

Why else frame Brexit as partly being a protest against "cheap labour"?

Couching it as you did suggests that it is the labour force and not the employer who is in control of pay levels.

There were often propaganda claims of 'foreigners coming over here and taking our jobs for less pay' which were seized upon by opponents of the EU and plastered across front page scare headlines. But now that these foreign workers are no longer coming here, tonnes of fruit and veg go rotting in fields because it appears none of the local population wants to do those jobs after all.


https://www.theguardian.com/busines...le-uk-farm-sector-worried-by-labour-shortages

Meanwhile, Britain’s meat processing industry, which is two-thirds staffed by non-UK workers, is currently missing about 14,000 people out of a total of 95,000 employed in the sector.​

​

If the situation does not improve during the labour-intensive period in the run-up to Christmas, when more workers are hired, the industry could end up being short of 25,000 workers, according to Nick Allen, chief executive of industry body, the British Meat Processors Association.​

​

According to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), total UK employment has fallen by about 2% since end of 2019 to end of June 2021, from almost 33m to 32.3m.​

​

Meanwhile, the number of EU nationals in employment in the UK fell by almost 5% from 2.3m to 2.2m over the same period. This was led by declines in Romanian and Bulgarian workers, whose numbers dropped 24% from 367,000 to about 278,000.​

​

Over the period there was a fall of more than 100,000 workers from the eastern EU8 countries (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) – down 12% from 931,000 to 823,000.​

​

Employers believe the official statistics mask a much greater fall in seasonal workers, because those who came in the years before Brexit did not all leave a papertrail, as permits for EU nationals were not needed.​

​

Now, seasonal workers must apply for a permit through the government’s pilot scheme, which is open to the world, and not limited to EU nationals.​

 

[mudsticks]

In the context of racism and immigration, I see no other way to interpret your comment:


Why else frame Brexit as partly being a protest against "cheap labour"?

Couching it as you did suggests that it is the labour force and not the employer who is in control of pay levels.

There were often propaganda claims of 'foreigners coming over here and taking our jobs for less pay' which were seized upon by opponents of the EU and plastered across front page scare headlines. But now that these foreign workers are no longer coming here, tonnes of fruit and veg go rotting in fields because it appears none of the local population wants to do those jobs after all.


https://www.theguardian.com/busines...le-uk-farm-sector-worried-by-labour-shortages

Meanwhile, Britain’s meat processing industry, which is two-thirds staffed by non-UK workers, is currently missing about 14,000 people out of a total of 95,000 employed in the sector.​

​

If the situation does not improve during the labour-intensive period in the run-up to Christmas, when more workers are hired, the industry could end up being short of 25,000 workers, according to Nick Allen, chief executive of industry body, the British Meat Processors Association.​

​

According to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), total UK employment has fallen by about 2% since end of 2019 to end of June 2021, from almost 33m to 32.3m.​

​

Meanwhile, the number of EU nationals in employment in the UK fell by almost 5% from 2.3m to 2.2m over the same period. This was led by declines in Romanian and Bulgarian workers, whose numbers dropped 24% from 367,000 to about 278,000.​

​

Over the period there was a fall of more than 100,000 workers from the eastern EU8 countries (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) – down 12% from 931,000 to 823,000.​

​

Employers believe the official statistics mask a much greater fall in seasonal workers, because those who came in the years before Brexit did not all leave a papertrail, as permits for EU nationals were not needed.​

​

Now, seasonal workers must apply for a permit through the government’s pilot scheme, which is open to the world, and not limited to EU nationals.​

And as I've stated over and over it was and still is the supermarkets commodity buyers and processors driving down returns for farmers growers and food workers.

In a classic race to the bottom.

The supermarkets take the main share of the profit.

But those facts are hidden from view and everybody likes, and in some cases really needs cheap food, right??

Farmers and growers have for decades been encouraged to specialise in one or two crops that can mostly be mechanised, and chemicalised for general cost saving on labour.

Then only requiring a short but intensive burst of skilled labour at planting or harvest

Well suited to itinerant - but highly skilled labour usually from overseas.

Unsuited for a population local to a farm that requires work all year round.

It's similar but not the same in other EU countries

Spain Portugal South of France and Italy tend to use a lot of undocumented North African labour to bring us our 'cheap' food.

Some of those workers have been brave enough to unionise, to get better pay and conditions.

But in the main they keep their heads down, and put up with whatever is dished out to them.

Poor wages were never a result of us being in the EU.

Labour shortages resulting from brexit, will quite likely result in the bulk of our food being imported.

Which will be terrible for food security, and much else besides.

Unless we can really reorganise UK farming and food production to be properly equitable.


But that will take time, the post brexit ag suppirt scheme isnt even finalised yet, were still doing tests and trials, for what is to come.

Meanwhile all of it can easily be undermined by cheaper, lower standard imports from these supposedly shiny new 'trade deals'

 

[BoldonLad]

My mistake. I meant Europe, but we can’t edit our mistakes on this forum if spotted late.

A bit like life really

I guessed you meant Europe, or EU.

 

[Salty seadog]

My mistake. I meant Europe, but we can’t edit our mistakes on this forum if spotted late.

I've noticed that. My predictive text mistakes are many and varied and I like to be able to correct them in the edit.

 

[BoldonLad]

I've noticed that. My predictive text mistakes are many and varied and I like to be able to correct them in the edit.

Ditto My phone seems to think it knows what I want to say, more than I do! Too smart by half (the phone)

 

[winjim]

Pints of Champagne. We're getting pints of Champagne.

For the love of God.


View: https://twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/1474131559628345349?t=rTPUiUBl-3p4nqKftJOviA&s=19

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Pints of Champagne. We're getting pints of Champagne.

For the love of God.


View: https://twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/1474131559628345349?t=rTPUiUBl-3p4nqKftJOviA&s=19

Is there a face-palm emoji?

 

[winjim]

Is there a face-palm emoji?

🤦🏼‍♂️

 

[Deleted member 49]

Pints of Champagne. We're getting pints of Champagne.

For the love of God.


View: https://twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/1474131559628345349?t=rTPUiUBl-3p4nqKftJOviA&s=19

Lol...Churchill said it was a good size !

 

[BoldonLad]

Pints of Champagne. We're getting pints of Champagne.

For the love of God.


View: https://twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/1474131559628345349?t=rTPUiUBl-3p4nqKftJOviA&s=19

Who cares? So long as we can still get the stuff?

Not that I have a problem you understand

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

...and if France can't be bothered with méthode brexittoise bottles, we can make do with the ever available 50cl ones, which, let's face it, we rarely buy.

 

[BoldonLad]

...and if France can't be bothered with méthode brexittoise bottles, we can make do with the ever available 50cl ones, which, let's face it, we rarely buy.

Quite

 

[mudsticks]

Pints of Champagne. We're getting pints of Champagne.

For the love of God.


View: https://twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/1474131559628345349?t=rTPUiUBl-3p4nqKftJOviA&s=19

Why are there no flags in the background??

Don't say we're running out of them too ..

Who cares? So long as we can still get the stuff?

Not that I have a problem you understand

But you should care..

This could be 'Peak Brexit Benefit'.

Now's not the time to be missing out, by affecting such insouciance ...

 

[newfhouse]

Firkin Hell.

 

[Xipe Totec]