Exposing the migrants myths

We reported previously on the scapegoating of immigrants to cover the failure of capitalism to provide decent housing for everybody and now yet more reserach has been produced to debunk other myths going about concerning the immigration of Eastern European workers to the UK.

The Polish, Czech and other arrivals who moved here when the European Union expanded in 2004 have paid substantially more in taxes than they have received in benefits, the study by academics at University College London (UCL) found.
Professor Christian Dustmann yesterday said the wave of immigrants had made a "substantial net contribution to the UK fiscal system .From the fiscal point of view, this immigration has not been at all a burden on the welfare system. Rather, it has contributed to strengthen the fiscal position".

In 2008-09 arrivals from the eight poor Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 - paid 37% more in taxes than they took in welfare payments and from public services.

Although new arrivals work for much lower wages - on average a third less - and are 60% less likely to claim benefits ,but after a year here their job prospects improve significantly and average wage levels increases.The study, which looked at arrivals between 2004 and 2008, found around 90% of working-age men and three-quarters of women had jobs.During the recession, immigrant workers may fare better in the employment market than native Britons because of their better skills and qualification, Mr Dustmann said.

The UK Border Agency said: "There is no denying the benefits migrants can bring to the UK, with European workers making an important contribution to our economy, through paying taxes and filling skills and labour gaps in sectors such as hospitality and agriculture."

Since its inception, capitalism has drawn workers into highly concentrated areas of development in order to satisfy its labour needs. Immigrant workers have always been used to correct a disequilibrium in the labour market. All things being equal, a labour shortage causes wages to rise and thus puts workers in a comparatively stronger bargaining position vis à vis overall working conditions. Naturally, our masters will always seek to counteract such a situation by importing (often cheaper, more compliant) workers, which in turn intensifies competition among workers, potentially fermenting xenophobia and racism. Needless to say, when demand for labour and/or skills slackens off, the capitalists play the infamous 'race card' in order to keep the working class divided. All those people seeking migration, whether legal or illegal, are simply obeying the imperative that they must try to find a place to work; and no amount of government restrictions will change that fact.