Memorandum by FirstGroup plc
1. INTRODUCTION
FirstGroup has prepared this document in response
to the "Call for Evidence" paper issued on 16 July 2007.
As an organisation we have not studied or evaluated the larger
impact of immigration on the UK economy, therefore, will not be
able to comment on many of the points detailed for consideration.
We can provide comment and detail on the impact
within First UK Bus.
2. BACKGROUND
First UK Bus has been involved in the employment
of migrant workers as part of the normal recruitment process for
many years. In 2003, however, we found ourselves with a significant
shortage of around 800 drivers in the UK and despite many local
recruitment activities we were having ongoing difficulty filling
these vacancies. At this point we undertook a project investigating
the possibility of recruitment from within the expanding European
Union.
In May 2004, through various agencies set up
for this purpose, we began deploying drivers from the EU into
the UK. As the project evolved First UK Bus took over the recruitment
process with a recruitment centre opened up specifically in Warsaw
dealing with interviews, language training, driver assessments
and checking of all documents such as references, driving licences,
and criminal record checks. We felt it important to take over
and manage the process to ensure fairness and consistency in migrant
worker recruitment.
The process has further expanded to fill further
vacancies such as cleaners and skilled engineers.
3. ECONOMIC IMPACT
3.1 In many parts of the UK, First UK Bus
was facing serious issues in providing the required services within
the local communities due to lack of drivers and, more recently,
skilled engineers. Recruitment campaigns and working with Job
Centre Plus were not providing the candidates required to fill
the vacancies. If we had not ventured outside the UK for workers
we would have been faced with the prospect of reducing the services
provided for our passengers.
The point has been raised that it may be the
case that in some areas low skilled workers are facing more competition
for jobs due to migrant workers, but within First UK Bus we have
depended upon the migrant workforce to fill our vacancies and
expand the business. We continue to recruit within the UK and
are active in partnership with Job Centre Plus as well as in direct
advertising.
3.2 All of our recruits are employed on
the same terms and conditions at each location irrespective of
origin, although salaries may vary between geographical locations
reflecting market rates for labour. This consistent approach ensures
that there is no impact on the over all wage rates being paid
in our industry.
3.3 All of the EU recruits employed through
our recruitment process are supported by our welfare team who
help them settle into the local community initially in rented
accommodation. This is sourced for them for immediate entry on
arrival to the UK. Once in the UK they pay taxes, become involved
in the local community, contribute to the local economy and utilise
services such as healthcare and schools as appropriate.
To ensure a balance of input (economic) and
resource requirements (housing, healthcare, schools, benefits)
it is vital that immigration is legal and monitored.
4. PROFILE OF
OUR MIGRANT
WORKERS
The Information we can provide for Migrant workers
deployed into the business can only account for those tracked
through our own recruitment process. For those who have settled
in the UK independently who apply and become employed with us
through the day to day recruitment processes we have little statistical
information.
| Numbers | 1,400 people
| |
| Citizenship | 90% Polish, 10% made up of other EU countries
|
| Age profile | 20-25
| 8% |
| 26-30 |
23% |
| 31-35 |
15% |
| 36-40 |
25% |
| 41-45 |
27% |
| 45-62 |
2% |
| Sex | Male
| 97% |
| Female |
3% |
| Marital status | Single
| 26% |
| Married
| 74% |
| Family joining | In 1st year
| 30% |
5. FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
We are currently filling the majority of vacancies with local
and EU recruits, however within the next 12 months we are predicting
that we will need to have alternative resources of labour opened
up to us. The restrictions on employing Bulgarian and Rumanian
nationals as bus drive will have an impact on our ability to fulfil
our vacancies in the future.
6. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
For First UK Bus there are currently two main issues:
— The number of recruits available from the EU States
able to work freely in the UK are reducing which will impact on
our ability to fill many of our vacancies in the next 12 months.
— The ability to check documentation of migrant
workers who are not recruited in their country of origin (out-with
our recruitment process) is limited especially with our responsibility
to provide the public with reliable and safe bus drivers (references,
licences and criminal reference checks via the CRB)
7. SUMMARY
From the direct experiences of First UK Bus, immigration
has been an important tool in filling a vital gap in our labour
force. There has been and still is a shortage of both skilled
and unskilled workers in the transportation industry.
It is vital to maintain the supply of labour for the sustainability
of a cost effective public transport industry. We are not displacing
local labour as we will always recruit locally in the first instance
and only look outside of the UK when we are sure that we cannot
maintain our establishment from UK recruitment sources.
In our experience, immigration has had a positive impact
on the economic stability and growth of our business and provided
a community service to many areas.
28 September 2007
| 
