Tonight programme - really peed off

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DebbieR

Last night the Tonight programme did a show about DIY disasters. They were saying that you're better off getting a professional in than attempting things yourself. Me and hubby were watching it thinking "ooh now everyone is going to ring us" (he's a painter and decorator). Then that stoopid Carol Smiley said that there are loads of Eastern Europeans who will do the job a lot cheaper and quicker than English compainies!! >:(
This is true but the reason they are cheaper is because they use inferior materials, they don't work to English standards AND they don't have to make a living out of it because most of them already have a council house and all the benefits they can bl**dy eat! >:(

Everyone I know in the building trade is really feeling the pinch and struggling to survive since this influx of eastern europeans and now the bl**dy ITV is actually advertising it! >:(

I'm so angry. I'm going to complain.
 
you go for it girl , every one warned this would happen but did they listen, of course not
 
Yep tis true, when hubby did a between pubs stint on a building site, it was hard to get work as the jobs were getting filled by blokes willing to work for peanuts, so obviously the employers chose to employ them and save a bundle in wages.

And no i'm not racist as those of you who know me will know ;D
 
Its certainly not about being racist. I don't give a stuff what country they're from. I'm angry because my husband can't earn a living because of the vast amount of people working for next to nothing and cheating the benefits system.
 
Totally agree with you. What is this country going to be like in 50 years time. We don't manufacture anything ourselves because it all comes from China and we're swamped with incoming people who'll do everything cheaper, I get fed up about all these extra people because they've all got to live somewhere and all the lovely countryside will probably end up being built on. I'm not racist either - it's irrelevant where they are coming from, it's just changing our country so much.

I imagine the programme will get a lot of complaints.
 
DITTO to above
We have the same problem here, money under the table and inferior materials thing happens all the time, bloody disgusting and then the 'real' companies get a hard time cause of the underhanded ones >:(
 
Its simply supply & demand - you can buy a Chinese-made microwave oven or DVD in Asda for about £25, but having worked for Sharp I know the quality testing that goes into their products (made in N.Wales!) which will last for years, whereas the Chinese brands won't... and could be dangerous. Time we started promoting "buy British". There is a market for cheap goods - if it breaks, chuck it away and get a new one. Bad for British industry, bad for the environment. I work in purchasing and everything is going to the far East and eastern Europe as the labour costs are so low - we can't compete.
 
I agree katiep, it is supply and demand.

It's not just the building trade and manufacturing where the UK is being undercut, it's call centres, farming and no doubt many other trades and services. We can't compete on price, so we have to compete on quality. There's always people who are willing to pay more for a better service or product. Going "up-market" may be the answer, e.g farmers going organic.

Having said that I think the problems in the building trade go further than that. In some parts of the country it's difficult to find a trustworthy trademan/woman. e.g. shortages of trained plumbers. We don't encourage young people to look at being plumbers, electricians,etc. when they leave school. They are encouraged (maybe peer-pressure is an element) to go for jobs that don't involve getting your hands dirty!
 
its the same everywhere - some jobs just arent attractive enough for alot of british people.

hey look at me, I am not british, started to work as a carer, and in one place I was working with loads of polish girls, south african girls and phillipinos and korean girls. they were all lovely and very good at their job - and then there was a handful of british people working there aswell. British people didnt want the job because its hard work and barely pays for your bills.
To most of the foreign girls though, it was alot of money.

It annoys me a bit saying that we foreigners live in council houses and receive benefits so that is the reason why we can do jobs that dont earn much money. It really does. Most of the girls I was working with lived together in shared accomodation, everyone had a room in a house, they were saving up most of their money to send back home to their families.
You make it sound like they can only manage to work for alot less money than british people can because they are on benefits anyway - this is very insulting, you know. Maybe they are just not as spoilt as we are (and I include myself), and make do with less.
Obviously it CAN be done, working for less money. And that doesnt mean it has to be "inferior material" being used. We built a house in Germany and I had a look at some of the material in UK - three times the price than in Germany! Same goes for cigarettes - look in some other countries where they charge alot less then here. Maybe it just means some people dont rip you off as much, and some people are willing to live a less luxurious lifestyle in order to win against the competitors.
The girl I mentioned earlier lived for three years in shared accomodation with her husband before they could afford getting themselves a little flat together. Whereas most people British would see a flat as the minimum and then move on to rent a cottage etc...

As for things being cheaper = low safety standards, forget about it. Poland has joined the EU, that means all the rules and regulations about testing things are the same now. And also about being cheaper - the companies in the richer European countries just rip people off. I see it everyday at Currys and PCWorld. My boyfriend buys lots of equipment for customers and its way cheaper than in those stores, they just add a tenner or more to alot of products just for the sake of earning money. Just because something is cheap doesnt mean it has to be rubbish - maybe some companies are just a bit more honest and dont try to cheat you out of money.

Sorry, I had to get this off my chest. I have never received benefits in this country, I work for very little money, and does that make me a bad person now? Maybe some brits should just re-think how well they actually have it before they jump to conclusions about why other people can afford to work for low wages.

Sorry for ranting.
 
But I think this was originally about tradesman / labourers that will work for less per hr / week than an English worker.

For example an experienced carpenter on a building site can command £200 per day, but along comes someone who says I will do it for £100. Who does the foreman choose?

Or a labourer will get paid £60 - £80 per day, along comes someone who offers to do it for £30.

It wasn't about normal jobs where there is just one rate of pay (albeit low) regardless of nationality. For example care work or bar work where you get the UK minimum wage.
 
bev said:
But I think this was originally about tradesman / labourers that will work for less per hr / week than an English worker.

For example an experienced carpenter on a building site can command £200 per day, but along comes someone who says I will do it for £100. Who does the foreman choose?

Or a labourer will get paid £60 - £80 per day, along comes someone who offers to do it for £30.
Click to expand...

It seems to me that tradesmen have been earning a canny wack for some time if they can charge, or have been able to charge £200 a day :o
As a Registered Nurse I wouldn't get that for a 12 hour night shift and all the responsibility it entails ::)

Barbara
 
My husband DOES NOT rip people off by charging high rates. He charges a living wage. There are not many people who would work for £300 a week BEFORE tax. And that's when he gets the work which isn't too often these days.

Abnoba - I'm sorry you were insulted but, unless you are a painter and decorator, it was not directed at you.
 
I think that British-made goods ARE a higher standard than cheaper foreign imports (apart from cars which are more expensive here than anywhere!) - just people don't want to pay for quality anymore.

However, I have to say that the Polish agency workers we had in the factory worked just as well if not harder than their Welsh counterparts, also the guys that put our fences up were from one of the Baltic states and did a really good job - we went to a local Welsh company and these were the guys they sent, so I have nothing against people that come here, work hard and do a good job, but it does put a huge strain on our own workforce.

So what is the answer?
 
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