2012 Euro Championships Could Fuel Return Home for Migrant Workers

Significant numbers of Polish construction workers could be tempted to leave the UK following the announcement that Poland and Ukraine last have won the right to host the Football 2012 European Championships, according to Szymon Jungiewicz, head construction analyst at Krakow-based PMR Publications .

Speaking in the Contract Journal he says :“There has been a rise in salaries in recent times for sure. Even people in Poland who don’t work in construction are tempted to go into it – last year salaries grew by 9%, which was the highest rate this decade, and we expect similar growth this year... the tournament may have an impact also”

The 2012 London Olympics will need the labour to build its facilities but so too Poland and Ukraine, which between them will have to build four new stadiums and renovate eight more.

UCATT highlights this and suggests that the issue of pay and working conditions will need to be addressed if we are to retain the skilled migrant workforce. A spokesman said for the union said: “If British industry wishes to hold on to its new eastern European workforce it needs to start treating it equally and fairly and no longer exploiting workers.”