Polish workers
Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006Gull makes an interesting point, which I think merits a few words. I thank him for putting in his opinion.
He says (I think) that his friend employed three Polish workers, all of whom turned out to be unreliable. I’ve asked him to clarify this, and I’ll come back to you if he replies.
Anyhow, I guess he’s taking issue with my assertion that eastern European people tend to be more conscientious than our people. Of course, nobody could claim that all eastern Europeans were harder-working than all Irish, because naturally that would be ludicrous and illogical, but we’re not drafting a piece of legislation here. We’re not trying to cover every possible eventuality and, as this is an occasional column, I have to presume that people will exercise a bit of intelligence when reading it.
I’d like to tell you my experience of hiring local people. I’ve been doing a substantial job on my house over the past few years, and doing it myself, not only because I’m too poor to engage a builder, though I am, but also because I can do it better. I’ve used an electrician who remains thoroughly reliable. Two carpenters, who were both first class. The Rockhopper, who is simply the Rockhopper, and who does plumbing, plastering, carpentry, block-laying, tiling and talking pure shite. He can’t be criticised because he’d come and kill me while screaming curses in Irish. Also John the Diggerman who was fuckin great and still occasionally lends me his Ifor-Williams trailer if I need to run down to Doolin for a couple of tons of Liscannor stone, or out to Roadstone for gravel.
Question for you. What do all the foregoing have in common? That’s right, they all have a stake in what they do.
Now, for the most part, I have been my own basic unskilled labourer, and it’s mostly worked out fine. I’m also happy to do a bit of plumbing, a lot of carpentry, building stone walls, laying patio bricks. Even some plastering. But sometimes you need a hand to drag the heavy shit from A to B. I have had five different guys out to do the donkey work. All wanted to be picked up in the morning, at their homes, no earlier than 10 a.m., and dropped back into town by about 4p.m. One guy spent the entire day on the phone to his girlfriend. Two of them had to be collected after the dole. One had to be dropped to the pub. One guy lasted a day and quit. It isn’t a question of money, incidentally. It isn’t about Polish people working cheaper. This is my house, not some profit-making venture, so I want the best possible work done and I don’t care about twenty euros one way or the other. I’m comparing this with the experiences of people I know personally, who have employed Poles, and I’ll tell you this: the next time I need unskilled labour, I won’t be looking to Limerick for it.
Stumble it!
