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28 October 2014
Inside Out: Surprising Stories, Familiar Places

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听听Inside Out England: Monday November 13, 2006
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Polish shops are serving the influx of workers

Eastern European Immigration Special - Part 3

Every day, seventy flights touch down at UK airports carrying passengers from the new Eastern Europe chasing a dream.

But what do local people think about this friendly invasion from the new Europe?

And how do the migrant workers feel about their new lives in England?

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Part three - Read more of your comments below in English and Polish...

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Immigration Special - Readers' Comments

A selection of your comments in English and Polish - some comments have been edited for brevity.

Thank you very much for today's programme. My name is Karolina, I'm 25 and live in London since January 2006. I finished Technical University in Poland, had good job after study but tried do something new for me. I came here with my boyfriend. We are both civil engineers. Finally we found a job as an engineers and we are really happy about that.

My company is working for London Underground, my boyfriend company is working for Transport for London.

We came here with job experience, with very good education and now we have really good life. Just we miss all the time our families and friends but this is life, isn't it?

Our employers are very nice for us, didn't feel any discrimination, we don't feel worse than English people at work at all. The best thing about living in London? Fabulous city with lot of opportunities, city of many cultures, public communication is amazing. The worst thing...? Wild Teenagers(!!!), dirty streets, constructions of Victorian homes. Problems? Awful English food (sorry), without taste, full of preservatives...
Karolina Stefunko

Dziekuje bardzo za ten odcinek Inside Out. Nazywam sie Karolina, mam 25 lat i od stycznia mieszkam w Londynie. Skonczylam Politechnike w Polsce i mialam dobra prace ale chcialam doswiadczyc cos nowego. Przyjechalam tu razem z chlopakiem. Obydwoje znalezlismy prace w swoim zawodzie. Przyjechalismy tu z doswiadczeniem zawodowym i wyksztalceniem.

W Londynie calkiem dobrze sie nam zyje choc tesknimy za rodzina i przyjaciolmi w Polsce, ale tak to juz jest w zyciu. Nasi szefowie sa bardzo mili, nigdy nie czujemy sie dyskryminowani. Co jest najlepszego w Londynie?- bajeczne miasto z niezliczonymi mozliwosciami, miasto tysiaca kultur, no i komunikacja miejska jest cudowna. Co jest najgorsze?- dzikie nastolatki (!!!), brudne ulice i konstrukcja domow w wiktorianskim stylu. Karolina Stefunko

No one in agriculture can legally be paid at a rate lower than that set down by the Agricultural Wages Board which sets its rates above the national minimum wage. The modern day English are not prepared to do the labouring jobs which the migrants are quite happy to do.

One has to remember that wages in Eastern Europe are far lower than in the UK and 拢6 an hour can be equivalent to 拢24 an hour in Poland or 拢60 an hour in Bulgaria or Romania 聳 what unskilled English worker wouldn聮t mind working abroad for 拢48,000 to 拢120,000 a year? I know of a Bulgarian who after working for two seasons harvesting vegetables in England was able to go home and buy three houses. I would hardly call that exploitation. Patrick Wooding

Nikt zatrudniony w sektorze rolniczym nie powinien zarabiac ponizej stawek wyznaczanych przez angielska rade rolnictwa tzw.- Agricultural Wages Board, wedlug ktorej place zap race rolnicze powinny byc wyzsze od najnizszych stawek krajowej. Wspolczesni Anglicy nie sa przygotowani do pracy, ktora imigranci z zadowoleniem wykonuja.

Nalezy pamietac, ze wynagrodzenia w Europie Srodkowo-Wschodniej sa duzo mniejsze niz w Wielkiej Brytanii. 6 funtow na godzine ma wartosc 24 funtow na godzine w Polsce i 60 funtow na godzine w Bulgarii czy Rumunii. Jaki niwykwalifikowany angielski pracownik odrzucilby propozycje pracy zagranica za 48 000 czy 120 000 funtow rocznie? Znam jednego Bulgara, ktory po dwoch sezonach zbierania warzyw w Anglii wrocil do domu i za zarobione pieniadze kupil sobie trzy domy. Nie nazywalbym wiec pracy imigrantow eksploatacja.
Patrick Wooding

Your survey suggests that people feel it is more difficult for UK people to get jobs. Although it is possible to point to a few individual cases where people may claim they can't get a job or have lost a job because a migrant worker has got it, there is nationally no evidence whatsoever that migrant workers are displacing UK workers. The more telling fact is that migrant workers bring a net economic benefit to the UK economy of at least 拢2.5Bn per year, filling jobs which noone else wants to do or providing skills where there is a skill shortage...

The most worrying aspect of migrant workers coming to this country are the superexploitative conditions under which they work. People are living ten or twenty to a house, paying extraordinarily high rents, working illegally long hours for wages well below legal minima. The government and regulatory authorities appear, with a few exceptions, content to let this happen. The Gangmasters' Licensing Authority now has the power to intervene and we should all be pushing for this to happen to stop slave-like working conditions and, incidentally, a process which does no credit to the UK as a whole.
Gary Craig, Professor of Social Justice, University of Hull

Wasze badanie opini publicznej sugeruje, ze ludzie uwazaja, ze Brytyjczykom jest trudniej dostac prace przez imigracje. Jednakze, pomimo, ze mozliwe jest wskazanie pojedynczych przykladow, kiedy obywatel brytyjski nie dostal lub stracil prace na korzysc imigranta, nie ma jednak wiekszego dowodu na to, ze jest to powszechny trend w Wielkiej Brytanii. Bardziej przemawiajacym przykladem jest fakt, ze pracownicy z Europy Srodkowo-Wschodniej przynosza brytyjskiej gospodarce zysk netto o wartosci co najmniej 拢2.5 bln rocznie, oferujac umiejetnosci, ktorych brak brytyjskim pracownikom...

Najbardziej wstydliwym aspektem jest sposob w jaki imigranci sa eksploatowani I warunki w jakich zyja. Niektorzy pracownicy zyja po 10-20 osob w jednym domu, placa olbrzymie pieniadze za czynsz i pracujac ponad norme za nielegalne stawki. Rzad i wladze brytyjskie zdaja sie przymruzac na to wszystko oko. Nowe regulacje wprowadzone dla agencji zatrudniajacych pracownikow zezwalaja na interwencje w razie gdy przypadki wykorzystawania pracownikow zostana zgloszone, jednak wciaz za malo jest robione w celu unikniecia nichlubnych praktyk Brytyjskich przedsiebiorcow.
Gary Craig, Professor of Social Justice, University of Hull

The show made me proud to be British, but it is also sad that it takes foreigners to make you realise exactly what you have...

When that man in the bar said "I'm a Londoner, I want to stay here forever" that was a very sobering moment and one which made me smile broadly.

If these people want to come here, work hard, pay taxes and integrate into society (as they are), then they're very welcome.

Hopefully their desire to work hard and be proud of the country in which they have chosen to live will rub off not only on native Brits, but also on certain other minorities...
Rob, Essex

Ostatni odcinek Inside Out uswiadomil mi, ze jestem dumny z bycia Anglikiem, choc szkoda, ze to obcokrakjowcy musza udowodnic nam ten fakt.

Fragment filmu, w ktorym chlopak z Polski mowi: 'Jestem Londynczykiem, chce tu zostac na zawsze' bardzo mnie wzruszyl i wywolal usmiech na twarzy. Jesli ci ludzie chca tu przyjezdzac, pracowac, placic podatki i stac sie czescia brytyjskiego spoleczenstwa (ktora juz sa) to ja ich serdecznie zapraszam i witam.

Miejmy nadzieje, ze niejeden rodowity Brytyjczyk lub czlonek innej mniejszosci narodowej w Wielkiej Brytanii wezmie przyklad z ich checi do pracy i dumy z kraju, w ktorym zdecydowali sie zyc.
Rob, Essex

How many native British people would really approve of this invasion were it not for political correctness and persuasion by the media to follow the orthodoxy about "enrichment"? Where was the mention of the fact that the UK is already overcrowded with massive strains on health, education, road space etc? What about the many migrants who are destitute? - no mention of them... Wendy Russell

Ilu tak naprawde Brytyjczykow wyznaloby, ze popiera imigracje, gdyby nie musieli udawac, ze sa poprawni politycznie lub musieli sluchac mediow wychwalajacych liberalne i otwarte spoleczenstwo brytyjskie? Dlaczego nie wspomnieliscie, ze Wielka Brytania juz w chwili obecnej jest przepelniona, co odbija sie na kolejkach i braku skutecznosci w uslugach publicznych takich jak opieka zdrowotna, szkoly, drogi,itd. Co dzieje sie z imigrantami, ktorzy nie maja pracy i blakaja sie po ulicach?- ich nie wspomnieliscie聟 Wendy Russell

All of our family in different jobs have been affected. I work in a family plastering business. We subcontracted to different builders who, earlier this year, started employing the Europeans for less than half the wage a labour would get (拢30 - 拢40 per day), mostly cash in hand. They have started to take us back due to bad quality of work. We cannot compete with them legally.

My brother was also hit as a car valeter, companies started employing Europeans for less & less 聳 it got to a stage where he had to leave work...

A domestic house we worked on recently had a scaffolder taking down scaffold. I shouted at the scaffolder to watch the overhead power cables 聳 he could not speak English nor understand me 聳 he was fortunate not to be killed. Surely this is a health & safety issue?

Our local bus company has purchased several houses they have taken on the Europeans and placed several of them in one house rent free in return for working for free... A Taylor

Inwazja robotnikow z Europy Srodkowo-Wschodniej odbila sie na wielu czlonkach mojej rodziny. Pracuje w rodzinnej firmie murarskiej. Zlecamy prace roznym firmom, ktore w tym roku zaczely zatrudniac Europejczykow za polowe nizsza cene niz placili Brytyjczykom- 30-40 funtow na dzien, zazwyczaj w gotowce. Wkrotce okazalo sie jednak, ze jakosc pracy sie pogorszyla.

Moj brat rowniez musial przestac pracowac przy czyszczeniu samochodow gdzy inne firmy zaczely zatrudniac Europejczykow za coraz mniejsze stawki.

W jednym z domow, w ktorym ostatnio pracowalismy chlopak ktory sciagal rusztowanie nie mowil po angielsku. O malo co sie nie zabil gdy pomimo mojego ostrzezenia, zeby uwazal na kable nic nie zrobil bo nie rozumial, co do niego mowie.

Wreszcie, nasza lokalna firma przewozowa kupila ostatnio kilka domow, w ktorych umiescila Europejczykow w zamian za prace za darmo聟 A Taylor

I have just been watching your programme and I am disappointed by the biased views it has expressed. I think the small cross-section of young people you interviewed was not representative of the issue as a whole.

As a member of the Polish community which came to Britain after the Second World War, and during communism, I feel this most recent wave of immigration has done a huge disservice to the reputation of the exisiting Polish community. I and many of my friends are second generation Poles who were born here and taught Polish in saturday schools, took part in community activities such as traditional dancing or the large Polish Scouts movement in the UK (ZHP).

Even in our youth, we are more staunchly patriotic to a country and culture we love, than the 'Imports', as these Poles are known. I believe that all should have a chance in this country, as our parents did, but unfortunately, the good reputation that our families once forged amongst the British is being rapidly eroded. Natalia

Jestem rozczarowana stronniczym punktem widzenia, w jaki przedstawiliscie polska spolecznosc w Wielkiej Brytanii. Uwazam, ze mlodzi ludzie z Polski, ktorzy wzieli udzial w programie nie odzwierciedlaja w calosci polskiej spolecznosci. Jako czlonek emigracji, ktora przybyla do Wielkiej Brytanii po wojnie i w czasach komunistycznych uwazam ze ostatnia fala polskich imigrantow zepsula reputacje Polakow w Wielkiej Brytanii.

Ja i wielu moich znajomych jestesmy druga fala polskich imigrantow, ktorzy urodzili sie w Wielkiej Brytanii i uczyli w polskich szkolach sobotnich i harcerstwie. Juz od dziecinstwa bylismy oddani polskiej kulturze bardziej niz ci 'importowani' Poalcy, ktorzy teraz tu przyjezdzaja. Mysle, ze kazdy powinien miec szanse w tym kraju, w takim samym stopniu, w jakim otrzymali ja nasi rodzice ale niestety dobra reputacja, jaka wypracowali sobie nasi rodzice jest obecnie podkopywana przez nowe pokolenie Polakow. Natalia

I'm British and live in London. I've heard a lot of complaints from British people about too many Eastern Europeans working here in the UK but personally welcome them. I would have done the same if i was them. I'm very interested in learning new cultures and meeting new people. The Poles have always been very friendly and very hard working. I have been to Poland many times, it's a beautiful country with an amazing culture, great food and very nice people. I am now enganged to marry a very sweet Polish girl who i have now been with for just over 5 years. The Poles really are a great race of people. Mark Morse

Jestem Brytyjczykiem i mieszkam w Londynie. Slyszalem wielu ludzi, ktorzy narzekaja, ze zbyt wielu Europeajczykow przybylo do Wielkiej Brytanii ale ja osobiscie nie mam nic przeciwko temu. Zrobilbym dokladnie to samo gdybym byl na ich miejscu. Bardzo interesuja mnie inne kultury i poznawanie nowych ludzi. Z moich wlasnych oserwacji wynika, ze Polacy zawsze byli i wciaz sa przyjaznymi i ciezko pracujacymi ludzmi. Bylem w Polsce wiele razy i mysle, ze jest to piekny kraj z cudowna kultura, wspanialym jedzeniem i uroczymi ludzmi. Jestem zareczony i wkrotce ozenie sie z dziewczyna z Polski, z ktora jestem juz od 5 lat. Polacy sa naprawde wspanialym narodem. Mark Morse

I am a bus driver and have been working in Britain for two years now. At first I used to work as a builder, then went on a course to be trained as a bus driver. I have a good job as a bus driver now and am paid well but I cannot admit that I am happy in this country.

I am 25 and no private life apart from work. When I was in Poland I used to go out a lot and meet my friends. Now that I am in England all I am doing is work and no social life. And even if I do go out with few Polish people here all we talk about is how great it is back home. Me and my friends we all want to be back in Poland. We will wait two, three years, save as much money as possible and come back home. I don't think British people will miss us, they will find other cheap labour soon from countries like Bulgaria... Damian

Jestem kierowca autobusu i w Anglii pracuje od dwoch lat. na poczatku pracowalem jako pracownik budowlany potem zapisalem sie na kurs i zdobylem kwalifikacje kierowcy autobusu. Pomimo tego ze mam dobrze platna stala prace nie moge przyznac ze jestem w tym kraju szczesliwy.

Mam 25 lat i zero zycia poza praca. Gdy mieszkalem w Polsce chodzilem na piwo z kolegami, na dyskoteki, moje zycie w Anglii to tylko praca i nawet jesli wychodze gdzies ze znajomymi nasz jedyny temat rozmow to jak to bylo w Polsce. Wszyscy planujemy wrocic i tylko chec zarobienia jak najwiecej pieniedzy nas tu trzyma. Znam wielu Polakow ktorzy mysla podobnie i Anglia wcale ich nie zachwyca, jeszcze dwa, trzy lata i londynscy kierowcy autbusow zaczna wracac do Polski. Pewnie nic sie takiego niestanie, Brytyjczycy znajda sobie inna tania sile robocza, Bulgarow... Damian

I have seen Poles living 6 to a house - that's just an existence not a life, at the end of the day British people are used to this standard of living, if they work for 40 hrs for 拢200 they then don't expect to change to 48 hrs for the same money because migration brings people who will that to me would be unfair.

To me there should be an equal playing field, we seem to be getting lots of Polish people because they are better off in the UK. Their country doesn't offer a good standard of living, benefits, jobs - you don't see thousands of Dutch German and French people coming to the UK...

Every man women and child deserves a decent life but not at the expense of downgrading the life of another, we, the lower paid people, are the affected ones but who cares about us?
Mark Dickinson

Widzialem Polakow mieszkajacych w szostke w jednym domu. Dla mnie to nie jest prawdziwe zycie. Brytyjczycy oczekuja lepszych, normalnych standardow zycia. Jesli pracuja po 40 godzin za 200拢 nie oczekuja zmiany na 48 godzin za te same pieniadze tylko dlatego, ze imigranci sa gotowi to zrobic.

Uwazam, ze powinno sie grac 'fair play'. Polacy przyjezdzaja do Wielkiej Brtanii bo tu moga wiecej zarobic. Ich kraj nie gwarantuje dobrych standardow zycia, korzysci, pracy.. Dlaczego Niemcy i Francuzi nie przyjezdzaja na wyspy?

Kazdy czlowiek zasluguje na przyzwoite zycie ale nie kosztem drugiego. Ludzie jak ja na nizej platnych stanowiskach odczuwaja skutki imigracji ale nikomu na nas nie zalezy聟
Mark Dickinson

Hello, I am sure that British economy may only benefit from Polish workers. Poles are motivated in partcular by prospects of personal and career development here in UK, and they are generally well-organized, very diligent, hard-working and ambitious which may contribute to the majority being successful in life and work in the long run. As they are ambitious and focused, thus ready to climb up the British social ladder. As to people working for less than the minimum hourly rate, I could comment on that it's only at the beginning... and not every Pole is ready to work for even a minimum wage.

Take into account that there are also well educated Poles with good English here ready to further broaden their skills and knowledge and they will not take up any low and lower-than decently-paid jobs. Not everybody is here in pursuit of the British minimum wage:-). There are a number of people interested in proving themselves in new professional work environment, very interested in getting to know UK better, fascinated by British history, architecture and gardens, now being able to just explore the "other side of the world".
Pole in South West England

Jestem przekonany, ze brytyjska gospodarka korzysta z pracy i podatkow, jakie placa Polacy. Polacy motywuja sie szansa kariery, sa zazwyczaj bardzo dobrze zorganizowani i pilni, co z pewnoscia pozytywnie odbija sie na firmie dla jakiej pracuja. Ci, ktorzy sa bardzo ambitni mysla o promocji I chca rozwijac sie w brytyjskich przedsiebiorstwach. Jesli chodzi o Polakow, ktorzy wykonuja nisko platne prace to zazwyczaj zgadzaja sie oni na niskie stawki tylko na poczatku.

Duza czesc Polakow, ktora przyjezdza do Wielkiej Brytanii ma skonczone uniwersytety w Polsce i plynnie mowi po angielsku. Oni z pewnoscia nie godza sie pracowac za najnizsze stawki. Nie kazdy Polak przyjezdza do Wielkiej Brytanii tylko po to by zarobic pieniadze. Duzo mlodych Polakow chce rozpoczac tu prawdziwa kariere zawodowa, zdobyc doswiadczenie zawodowe ale takze poznac brytyjska kulture, historie, architecture, itd.
Polak z Poludniowo-zachodniej Anglii

Immigration issue is always very ambivalent... Instead criticize, maybe you should get know something more? What is your imagination about Poland? The really sad thing is that almost half of English population doesnt know nothing. 'Little Britain' is not just funny sitcom - it is a mirror. You laugh but you should cry, but about this another time.

1. Economy - there is planty of vacancies which English doesnt want, than why others can not take advantage of that?

2. Nota bene Polish are very diligent and hard working.They are very good employers and English could see that.

3.They bring diversity to population. Lots off young, very well educated people come here from Poland. Amount of Polish doctors, dentist in UK is increasing. Kasia

Imigracja jest zawsze sprawa ambiwalentna... Zamiast krytykowac moze powinniscie dowiedziec sie czegos wiecej o imigracji.. jakie jest Twoje wyobrazenie o Polsce? Bardzo smutna rzecza jest, fakt, ze prawie polowa angielskiej populacji nic o nas nie wie.'Little Britain' to nie zwykly smieszny serial to prawdziwe lustro brytyjskiego spoleczenstwa. Smiejecie sie a powinniscie plakac, ale o tym innym razem.

1. Gospodarka - jest tak duzo pracy, ktorej Brytyjczycy nie chca wykonywac, dlaczego nie pozwolic innym skorzystac z tej okazji?

2. Nota bene Polacy sa pilnymi i pracowitymi ludzmi, sa bardzo dobrymi pracownikami i angielscy pracodawcy powinni to zauwazyc.

3. Polacy 'urozmaicaja brytyjska populacje. Sa to mlodzi, wyksztalceni ludzie. Liczba doktorow, dentystow w Wielkiej Brytanii ciagle wzrasta. Kasia

I dont feel exploted because where I work - I get the same salary as English people sitting next to me. I am verry happy here and I even don't think about leaving UK. This is my new home. And if Brits are losing their jobs, it is only their fault because most of them are very lazy. Latvian girl

Nie czuje sie eksploatowana bo tam gdzie pracuje zarabiam tyle samo co angielscy pracownicy. Jestem tu bardzo szczesliwa i nie mysle nawet o wyjezdzie z Wielkiej Brytanii. To jest moj nowy dom. Jesli Brytyjczycy traca swoje miejsca pracy to sami sa sobie winni bo wiekszosc z nich jest leniwa. Litwinka

People of poorer countries come here to earn a good wage so why are they getting nothing out of it? I work with Polish people and have seen what they have to put up with - is there any wonder some want to go home with all the hate against them and the low wages? Gareth Taylor

Ludzie, ktorzy przyjezdzaja tu z biedniejszych krajow wcale nie zarabiaja tak duzo.Ja pracuje z Polakami i widze z jakimi problemami musza sobie radzic. Nic dziwnego ze wielu z nich mysli o powrocie do Polski biorac pod uwage to jak niskie sa ich zarobki i ile nieprzyjemnosci ich spotyka ze strony brytyjskiego spoleczenstwa. Gareth Taylor

I was very pleased while watching your programme broadcast on Monday 13th November 2006 on 大象传媒1 - Inside Out. I had thought, before watched the audition, there will be yet another broadcast which will mainly focus on negative aspects of the latest immigration from Eastern Europe, but I can truly say this time 大象传媒 has shown the real story.

As many of the characters you've shown, I'm also a Pole. It is true to say, huge amounts of us came here recently. Some of the latest figures show we are the fourth largest group of foreign nationals in the UK. Surprised? Well, yes and no - but what is the reality? Difficult to say, impossible to judge. Some say there far to many immigrants in the country - they're taking our jobs, ripping off the social system, etc; others claim in a very different way - we need them, they succor us to keep the economy strong and competitive, contribute to the system, help to keep prices down.

Not many people know that we ourselves add around 400 million pounds each year (2005) of income tax and National Insurance Contributions. What's more, especially nowadays, when house prices here in the UK went up so high during last few years that not so many young British couples can afford to get onto the property ladder, we help to keep interest rates down. Also, British businesses improved their results, not only by employing Polish staff, but via export of goods they manufacture their figures have significantly increased. Moreover, the number of companies registered by Companies House owned by Poles increased a lot.

Nevertheless, I can also notice the other side of the coin - of an Englishman. It has only been three years and so many of us them have come here. From one side, the Government should have been prepared better for the influx, but on the other, it was almost impossible to estimate the number of newcomers trying to find their luck here. Nobody expected such a large inflow from the former communist countries, no new schools were built, hospitals are rather being kept closing down, the social system hardly copes with other immigrants from overseas those who have already been here.

Unfortunately, not so many try to understand our point of view and answer the question why we've come. Yes, we seek better future here, but it is not said that we want to flood the country and have come here just for money. Many study on universities, some will soon become British, but most will comeback in the near future. We're here, because our economy is not doing well - after almost fifty years of enforced romance with communism such a big country like Poland can't simply reborn. There are some austerities, but hopefully they'll be overcome.

However, I consider Poles are being liked in the UK - we work hard, pay taxes conscientously, do not cause any social tensions, understand well with the British and bring them a lot of fun. On the other hand, one can easily spot a lot of English, Scottish or Welsh visiting Poland, savouring our 'piwo' or 'pierogi.

Recent figures indicate the economy in Poland is doing better and better, unemployment is decreasing slowly, foreign companies invest their money, create jobs, especially in Krakow and Wroclaw area, hopefully wages will start going up soon, and most of us will decide to come back, but who will then work here and will the British cry? Slawek

Very interesting programme. My husband聮s father came to England to help fight the Nazis as Polish airman. I am English. We live in Hastings and have made friends with several young hard working Poles - but I am worried about the exploitation of these Poles by so-called employment agencies highlighted by your programme.

They are making huge profits from the sweat of others against British employment law. They should be exposed further. I聮m one of those who would be prepared to pay more for fruit and veg if I knew the Polish Migrant workers who picked it were paid a living wage. My advice to ALL young Poles is to learn English - improve improve, improve. R and P Franczak

I have followed events in the media concerning migrant workers very closely. I myself am of immigrant descent and live and work with second generation and first generation immigrants of all backgrounds. My parents had Polish and other Eastern European friends when I was a child.

Recently, I met a young Polish couple who have settled in my area, the man working as a bus driver. We had a brief conversation in a combination of my pidgeon Polish and his beginner's English, in response to my asking how he was getting on, I was horrified that he felt the English hated the Poles and he was quite uncertain about how long he would stay.

In my opinion, Britain is historically very tolerant of others. Yes, we have problems with racism and bigotry, however, we are trying to address them. It shames me that a lot of new migrants will receive a less than civil welcome from our host community.

I appreciate that whilst this wave of immigration is good for the "economy" it is also driving down wages in yet another downward step in dispossessing the working classes.

The problem however, is not with the Eastern Europeans trying to earn an honest living, it is with the government and the CBI who are exploiting both the migrants and our own workers by driving down wages and exploiting people. This is a political matter and should be dealt with in the correct way - lobby your MPs and your councillors., after all both British and migrant workers are being exploited!
Elizabeth Giagnacovo

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