How do the EU free movement laws benefit low paid British workers?

Question

I keep reading that the free movement laws of the EU are of benefit to us.

Yet if you are a low paid worker, living at or near the poverty line in the UK, how does it benefit you? Working abroad wouldn't make sense when you might get paid even less over there than you are now. You probably can't afford to travel or go on holiday so the "ease of movement" won't affect you and millions of migrants competing for work with you doesn't make your job secure or improve your chances of getting a pay rise.

I know many people in the UK do benefit from the EU but I fail to see how it benefits the poorest among us.

Answer 1

I cannot see how EU laws benefit British low paid workers!

Answer 2

It has just kept wages lower than if there was no / limited free movement.

The question is why did new labour allow it from the new accession countries when the majority of of established EU countries did not.

Answer 3

nothing!! about membership of the EU is of any benefit to the poor of any! of the member states. its just a huge rich mans club, and we all foot the bill, because the European union thinks thats all working people are good for. paying for their! luxurious life style.

Answer 4

You have to send your family to one of the poorer member states,work here and send your dosh to them.

Answer 5

more people paying tax and ni, so when they quit there's someone to cover the extra dole costs.

Answer 6

It's done a lot for my dads businesses Baby ;-)

Answer 7

Well if the lowest paid go to countries where they get paid more then it would benefit them wouldn't it? The free movement laws do not only mean for travel and enjoyment, but also for work and trade.

As for other parts it means cheaper products ma come in as the market is larger and hence costs of manufacture may come down. Bigger buying power for supermarkets, access to products previously unknown. More competition in certain areas. Bringing in goods from abroad bought over the internet. Courts of appeal that make that it is easier to get your rights in a different country as well (as long as it falls under EU regs)

It is not all good, but there are a lot of hidden benefits as well. Related are laws regarding environment, equity in pay, reduction of work stresses, food safety, unity in labelling requirements. And dare I say it the Euro makes life a lot easier to compare but that does not help the brits are they have been left out on that one, as also on a lot of the social chapters.

ETA. Check your facts again and what I wrote. I know I am right, I never said moving to Poland. I referred to the EU. For instance minimum wage here in the Netherlands or Denmark is much much higher and by law one must be paid the minimum wage of the country of the employer.

Check your facts. I have employed foreigners

Answer 8

A Free Market economy requires free movement of labour, this is a basic principle of unfettered capitalism. It is an economic weapon designed to weaken the working class of the industrialised nations as the EU takes on the role of an Imperialist entity with the former eastern block nations being the new colonial territories. Within the former Social Democratic system operating in the UK and elsewhere in Europe internal colonisation appeared after the collapse of Empire, here the residents of the cities were treated as a labour pool. Demographic changes led to a falling working class population in the Industrial nations allowing those excluded from accessing good jobs and wages through "race" gender or religion overcoming these barriers and entering the labour market. This is a quandary for those like myself who defend the rights of workers to seek and access decent employment. When the EU is using migratory workers, outsourcing and restrictions of union activities to "help" the economy the poor will suffer. But stop the migrants Capital will find another way oppress the poor, last year on the same day that Gordon Brown announced that he was raising the retirement age to 67 the Health minister announced the life expectancy for a working class Scot was, yes 67. They are doing away with retirement, things can only get bitter.