British workers denied jobs because they don't speak Polish

[AB Asks]

The claim was made by MP Malcolm Moss after a constituent had been denied work at a factory because she didn't speak Polish. The woman had gone to a job centre in the area and there was little work so it was suggested she go to the factories in person. She was then told that the factories did not recruit directly. The factory referred her on to a gangmaster who would not giver her work as she did not speak Polish and would therefore not fit in or be able to communicate with fellow workers. What do you think? Have you had any experience of this? Or have you heard of similar situations happening around you?

[rojash]

Well in the first place, I suspect he or his informant made it up.

Having said that, I can't see anything wrong with it. Here in Greece, many jobs are only available if you can speak English, German or French, becuase you need to communicate in those languages. Naturally, if you are going to be working with Poles, you need to communicate in Polish.

No doubt, you'll get loads of ranting and screaming from the Daily Mail Mob, though (which is presumably the motivation behind your question).

[vehelpfulguy]

Rojash, if this was in Poland I would not mind, but this is in ENGLAND.

Yet another example of the downward spiral of this country.

Blair has made a great job of dragging us down to third world standards (letting thousands of people FROM the third world settle here was a great way to start)

[gina32]

vehelpfulguy well said, when i got up this morning i was in england, has something happened since then? surely anyone from outside this country should be speaking our language not the other way around?

[Oneeyedvic]

I was denied a job in a factory once as I had a 'too middle class accent'.

This was 15 years ago when I was made redundant and was looking for any work I could.

I was also declined a job in a women's clothes outfitters (I am male - I only applied as I thought the interview would be fun)

[Reverandfunk]

When in Rome....

[sandbach99]

This has happened in Cheshire as well, the local paper printed a story of a 18 year old girl who was sent by a local agency to a local factory, at the start of the shift orders were read out in Polish, when she asked for these to be repeated in English she was told to follow the others.

She remained on the agency books but was offered no further work, she deliberately went and watched the Poles she had worked with still going into work at the factory.
Because it is agency work she cannot claim discrimination.