| Why would anybody in England prefer to get their | | | | after that' too expensive. There's a lot of, |
| leaks fixed by Polish plumbers these days. Why | | | | 'Sorry, too busy right now. I can maybe fit you in |
| would they? Why would they favour foreigners | | | | sometime next Tuesday' and the question of |
| over their home-made counterparts? Could these | | | | time: it's unheard of to get a plumber out of his |
| Poles have something that English people don't? | | | | cosy house after 6 o'clock at night. After all, he |
| Are they doing something their British colleagues | | | | has a family too. He likes watching TV, just like |
| aren't? Mike Scantlebury, Internet Author, has an | | | | you. He doesn't want to miss the football, as you |
| opinion. | | | | don't. Well, no, he's not exactly like you. He's set |
| Robert Kiyosaki has made a curious assertion in | | | | himself up as a plumber, that's how he earns a |
| one of his many books. He says that the tax | | | | living. To do that, he needs customers. Polish |
| system, the legal system, in fact the whole | | | | plumbers know that, and are willing to work to |
| economic system, has been set up to favour | | | | please their customers, not themselves. That's |
| entrepreneurs. He says that everything is there | | | | the difference. |
| to encourage people to take risks, borrow | | | | Plumbers in Britain have a different take on reality. |
| money, set up businesses, build factories and | | | | They think that everything was great, life was |
| houses and create jobs. Why? Because that's | | | | good, and then these guys from Poland started |
| what the country needs. We need employment | | | | arriving and it ruined everything. Most British |
| and housing, so we need enterprising individuals | | | | people know the opposite. 'Things were great'? |
| who can make that happen. We need these top | | | | For plumbers! 'Life was good'? For them, not for |
| people. Everything else has to serve their needs, | | | | the customers. English plumbers complain that |
| and the system exists to support them. | | | | these new arrivals 'work for less money'. Money |
| Down at the bottom of the pile, things look | | | | isn't everything especially when water is |
| different. 'The bosses need us', say the workers, | | | | dripping down your walls. When that happens, the |
| so ask for bigger pay rises. That's not going to | | | | main issue is getting it fixed. Oh yes, at a |
| work out. These days, those bosses have a | | | | reasonable price, but someone please come |
| choice. If you're not willing to work for the dollar | | | | and sort it out. English plumbers weren't prepared |
| rate offered, they'll find someone who will, often | | | | to do that, to put themselves out or make an |
| from overseas. In Britain today the argument is | | | | effort, and the customers got fed up with them. |
| about all the East European countries who have | | | | It's always been that way. In the 1960s Japanese |
| joined the European Union recently. It means that | | | | motor cycles started arriving in Britain and swept |
| their residents now have the right yes, the | | | | the market. They were welcomed. People had got |
| legal right to travel to Britain and offer | | | | fed up with British bikes. They were too heavy, |
| themselves for work. The problem for us locals is | | | | difficult to start, and leaked oil. The Japanese |
| that these new arrivals are used to working for | | | | bikes were light, easy starters, and clean. Of |
| less money than we need and are grateful for | | | | course people bought them. |
| any jobs they can get, no matter how | | | | This is the great truth. British plumbers complain |
| second-rate or poorly paid. They are also willing to | | | | of their prices being undercut and say it's all 'unfair |
| work hard and don't demand time off and | | | | competition'. There's no such thing as 'fair |
| holidays. From the point of view of the | | | | competition'! But that's not it. A new service, new |
| employers, they're just what they need. | | | | invention, new product, doesn't catch on unless it's |
| The example most often quoted is 'Polish | | | | better than what's out there now. So if your |
| plumbers'. In the last few months, many plumbers | | | | plumbing services are no longer required, maybe |
| and other skilled people have arrived in Britain | | | | it's because you weren't doing a very good job, |
| from places like Poland, and are offering their | | | | and people are gladly taking up the alternative. So |
| services. They work hard and they don't ask for | | | | what's that got to do with taxes, the legal |
| much money. They are suddenly in demand. | | | | system, and the things we started with? Because |
| Everybody wants them. English plumbers are up in | | | | customers are always looking for a better |
| arms. 'Not fair', they say, forgetting that the | | | | product or service and we need to encourage the |
| economic system doesn't set out to be fair. It | | | | people who are hoping to provide it. We want |
| exists to make things, deliver services, create | | | | those entrepreneurs, hungry, anxious to get on |
| new businesses and provide profits. It never sets | | | | and find the new big thing. We want new |
| out to be 'fair'. If you want fairness in society, | | | | factories, new jobs, new opportunities. It might |
| you have to vote for a government that will do | | | | mean disruption for workers as old established |
| something about that. Economics isn't in that | | | | industries collapse. It might mean re-location, |
| business of being 'fair'. | | | | re-training, re-skilling, but the system can provide |
| English plumbers have forgotten one thing. People | | | | that for those who are willing. It's the only way |
| don't like them. People in Britain know that when | | | | the economic system progresses and it's made a |
| their washing machine goes mad and starts | | | | good life for millions of people in the last few |
| pumping water all over the kitchen floor, then | | | | generations. The lesson is clear: if you are a British |
| they are in trouble mainly because it will be | | | | plumber, you should have had an eye over your |
| practically impossible to find anyone to come | | | | shoulder, just in case someone came along who |
| round and fix the problem. You will be standing up | | | | could do a better job. And if it kills your job, then |
| to your ankles in water, telephone in one hand | | | | you need to change. Maybe, even, you need to |
| and Yellow Pages in the other, and you can go | | | | become the new entrepreneur that's going to |
| down the list for quite a way before even getting | | | | make a killing out of the new trend when it |
| an answer. Then there's the reply, 'It will be | | | | comes along, as it surely will. |
| £60 to come out and £20 an hour | | | | |