Many reports have emphasized on the facts and the numbers that Kiwi employees lost their jobs ahead of migrants, however, none of them really covered the reasons why New Zealand employers are in favour of migrant workers rather than Kiwis?Traditionally, New Zealand employers are conservative when recruiting immigrant staff, because they are lack of New Zealand qualifications and working experience, cultural understanding and language skills, also the prejudice from employers according to a research of Massey University. There is always a paradox immigrants face when looking for jobs – to get a job, you need to have New Zealand working experience; to gain New Zealand working experience, you need to find a job.
Certainly, business companies are not charities, especially in the situation of recession. Laying off or remaining staff whatever they do is to ensure themselves survival. As the complainment about government put stresses on New Zealand employers with government’s employment plan, Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes said: “We can’t afford to be part of other people’s solution.” In the case of CWF Hamilton, the company made redundant to the Kiwi worker who once helped to train some of migrant workers that replaced him, and who admitted “used to stick to the contract book”, but “was a good worker”; in contrast, keeping the migrant staff who designed a machine which “save the company thousands of dollars”. And the company said this was based on the skills the business needed.
Another reason for migrants replace Kiwi workers probably as John Minto, a columnist of Scoop, pointed out that because of the poor pay and working conditions that companies provided.
However, what are the real perspectives for those Kiwi employers who have hired immigrant staff? “Very high levels of satisfaction with them”, the Massey University's research shows, and employers found immigrant stuff "delivered a range of benefits to their companies in addition to labour and skills”.
Last year, there were 83,000 permanent and long term New Zealanders who departed from the country. If Kiwis keep moving, then companies will continue to recruit migrant staff, and the issues would never stop, after all, the government immigration policy is for the sake of the country’s economy, not migrants themselves.
“New Zealand jobs for Kiwis? Right or wrong” – while I enjoyed your piece, I feel that there are two separate debates within your article – the debate over foreign workers rights, and the issue of immigration.
ReplyDeleteImmigration is what this country was founded on, and has proven to be of great benefit to New Zealand. The REAL issue here is WHY they chose one employee over another.
The reason (as you have partially admitted to) is purely financial.
You are right in pointing out that these companies are not charities and that they well within their right to hire whomever they please, but this lack of respect for these migrant workers (who, as you also point out, are only being hired because they are inexpensive, not because they are respected) certainly can’t be seen as positive.
Just because “Last year, there were 83,000 permanent and long term New Zealanders who departed from the country” does not mean that there aren't New Zealanders (though this phrase in itself is questionable and needs to be defined within your writing) who could do these jobs. If you could find research proving the statement correct then (and only then) would this be of relevance to the debate.
Quotes like “it is about finding skilled people – if skilled people are Kiwis the door is not locked” reek of P.R. spin and you should not take them at face value. I must also question what is meant by "delivered a range of benefits to their companies in addition to labour and skills”. If these are in addition to their "labour and skills" - e.g. the two things that they were hired for - then what could these benefits be besides lower company overheads?
While I think you have researched well, I am still uncertain as to what you think the issue is, and your conclusion on this issue (or issues) would be. You have brought up some interesting points but (to me) they don’t connect together, correlation does not equal causation unless proven. Also try not to rely too much on spell check for proofing. It won’t pick up correctly spelt but incorrect phrasing ('Staff' instead of "stuff" etc).
Hi Maimona, sorry for my late replay. First of all, thank you for commenting on my topic, I really appreciated your common with your careful analysis and thoughtful thinking, and thank you for pointing out my unclear point of views. You are probably right, as an immigrant myself, I tried to write objectively by using the facts and other’s views to show my opinions, and it seems not working well.
ReplyDeleteMy point of view for the issue has been expressed in my first blog post. In the second, I tried to find the answer as you said “The REAL issue here is WHY they chose one employee over another”, and I probably did not mentioned clearly. Through my research, there are two reasons for that. One is the skills that migrants hold, as the example of “who designed a machine which save the company thousands of dollars”. I am sure there are not employers who would like to fire staff like this whoever he is Kiwi or migrant.
The poor pay and working conditions is another reason. Your comment seems to base on this point as you think “the reason is purely financial”. I believe it occurs, but don’t see it as a main reason or migrants “are only being hired because they are inexpensive”.
Migrants come to NZ generally doing two types jobs: skilled job, as we are talking about, and labour job such as working in the farm. The poor pay and working conditions are more likely to be fund in the latter, because it won’t explain the case of CWF Hamilton, as the majority of workers in the company are still Kiwis, and not every migrant could design something to save company’s money to keep their position, therefore I really wonder why most of their colleagues could remain, but only these who were even replaced by migrants?
When I read the following common on the article of “New Zealand jobs for Kiwis? Right or wrong...”, I believe that personal problems such as problems on discipline or work attitude could be another reason:
“much of the truth is not told here im afraid. as a worker of CWF Hamilton I can assure you that every employee who was made redundant had skills or discipline issues.
ReplyDeleteOne person featured on the video was outside on numerous occasions smoking when he was supposed to be working!!
When i came to new zealand on a temporary work permit years ago the unions were asking me to join them within my first week at CWf. they dont tell you that lots of their PAYING members are migrants and on work visas!!!
workers on temporary visas have to start somewhere. im sure most kiwis grandparents done the same!!!”
I didn’t put this reason into my blog because I know I won’t find evident from mainstream media to support it, however, as a contrast to the migrant, I quoted “who admitted used to stick to the contract book, but was a good worker” to imply the possibility.
Yes, there are not doubts that the number of New Zealanders who leave the country “does not mean there are not New Zealanders who could do the job”; however it means there are not enough Kiwi employees. The “brain drain” phenomenon is an indisputable fact, and New Zealand has suffered from that for many years. Statistics New Zealand releases the numbers every month and year, and government has tried to do everything possible to attract them coming back, but it seems to never work, and there is not hope to change the situation in the near future according to a new study. This is the prerequisite for migrants come to New Zealand; otherwise, there would have not been the issue around.
In addition, I think it is almost impossibly for migrants to be hired because “they are respected”, but probably because “they are useful”, as the Minister of Immigration Jonathan Coleman described the short-term immigration policies “are more of a tap that can be turned on and off”. Although “Immigration is what this country was founded on, and has proven to be of great benefit to New Zealand”, the matter is still something that the country has to do, not happy to do, that is why when a critical moment of economy or politics emerges, immigration is always being a contentious issue to be raised.
It is enjoyable to discuss the topic with you, and I especially thank you for your attention to point out my grammar and spelling mistakes, that’s really helpful.