Number of migrant workers in Lincolnshire continues to rise despite economy
THE number of migrant workers living in Lincolnshire is continuing to rise – despite the economic climate.
The economic downturn and rising unemployment led to a popular belief Eastern European workers were returning home.
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Aneta Maryniak.
But new Home Office statistics reveal more people from overseas are coming to work in the county than the numbers of foreign workers departing Lincolnshire.
From mid-2008 to mid-2009, 2,600 foreign nationals arrived in Lincolnshire to find work. This compared to just 1,900 departing.
And every year since 2004, Lincolnshire has seen more migrant workers entering the county than leaving, with the exception of mid-2006 to mid-2007, when 2,700 overseas workers entered the county and 2,700 left.
Polish factory worker Janusz Lebioda, 28, said despite Poland's economy showing signs of real growth, people will have far more spare cash in their pocket in Lincolnshire presuming they can find a job. Mr Lebioda, who lives in Thesiger Street, Lincoln, has lived in the city for nearly five years.
"It is harder to come here now because there's less work," said Mr Lebioda, who works at AWS Eco Plastics in Hemswell Cliff.
"My friend has a PhD from a Polish university but can't find work, so he works in a Grantham chicken factory."
Aneta Maryniak, 37, from Poland, works at Eastern European food store Lajkonik in High Street, Lincoln, having lived and worked in the city for five-and-a-half years.
She said: "It is a problem now for people who do not speak English. But you can still earn more cash here than in Poland."
Sue Humphrey teaches English language courses to migrant workers at the Abbey Access Centre in Monks Road, Lincoln, and said there is still high demand.
She said:"We have had lots of new people enquiring about classes."
However, the Reverend Liz Jackson, of St Mary-le-Wigford Church in Lincoln, says there is some real poverty among migrants.
The church, in St Mary's Street, runs a drop-in session every Sunday night and Tuesdays for vulnerable people. The Rev Jackson said: "There are guys struggling to find work and some of them have got in trouble with the police"
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by Wasp, Killer
Saturday, September 04 2010, 2:10PM
“Wayne please come home,you may learn how to speak sense again.”
by Wasp, Killer
Saturday, September 04 2010, 2:05PM
“I do love to read the same old hypocritical " Don't call poles,but all you Lincolnshire folk are so insular and chase people off with pitch forks"
If you don't like us move to Eastern Europe and take all of your foreign friends back with you.”
by wayne, latvia
Saturday, September 04 2010, 1:59PM
“missouri i am english and not proud of it ok born in uk suffered in uk left uk ok chap. Jolly good I let you at least understand the gist of it ok. I could give you a 5k work biography of the trials and times of my so such wonderfull life in the licolnshire settings. But the would you do with it. Wait for room 1 0 1 to come to your box or flat screen ie over sized cash card. For you to chuck it in the box for incineration, the would the sir of utter and total scinic be assured I ain't latvian. What you say then chuk quote cilla black with out the knashers pleased to say :)”
by Gnome Chomsky, Warsaw
Saturday, September 04 2010, 1:19PM
“phil s - I suspect you are missing the point. Most Lincolnshire folk do not welcome incomers from anywhere. This insular county thinks of people from Newark and Peterborough as foreigners. Read the posts.”
by Missouri Marten, Lincoln
Saturday, September 04 2010, 9:29AM
“"In my job I would be very ideal to do the job I seeked."
"We tell EU they no tell us. If you no like go home"
"they look after there own as do lithuania"
"I live in latvia, work in uk. I am english."
Coulda fooled me Wayne. I know Latvians, Lithuanians and Poles, all with a far greater mastery of the English language than your good self.”
by wayne, latvia
Saturday, September 04 2010, 7:12AM
“Re antenna please do not come down to my level it would be very difficult to get up again. And wasp. I don't drink and I am english. Lol how ever please do speak to migrant workers in the age range 30 plus. They will be very interesting about live in eastern eu before the fall of communism as a child to life of today. Its an interesting time slot. They have many of the skills we lack by way of basic living eg growing their own foods. Keeping pigs chickens and a goat. Would many of you eat the family pig you brought up for winter food,.would you even prepare it. They would. So they do have some finer qualities than us. And in a disaster I know who I would have at my side for shopping in the wild. And they know their mushrooms too. Wish echoe would run a long term feature on the baltic life style. You would all find it amazingly interesting I do and still do.”
by Wasp, Killer
Friday, September 03 2010, 9:20PM
“Wayne you crazy Latvian. Lay off the vodka.”
by Complex Antenna, Lincoln
Friday, September 03 2010, 9:12PM
“wayne I would have thought it was fairly obvious that comment was aimed at the person from Sudbrooke, not you. Interesting that you had to resort to a personal insult, though. I would reply in kind but I'm quite ready to sink down to your level.”
by phil s, Lincoln
Friday, September 03 2010, 8:07PM
“Surely we should welcome the influx of Polish immigrants to our fair city. These are white Christians with a thousand years of European history behind them. They have integrated well, have benefited the local economy and have boosted attendances at city churches. Would we prefer an influx of muslim families who do not integrate, who require separate religious facilities and do not share our Judaeo-Christian roots.”
by Complex Antenna, Lincoln
Friday, September 03 2010, 8:03PM
“I always thought I was fairly worldly, but sexual peccadilloes involving piles is a new one on me. Still, it must get pretty boring in Sudbrooke...”