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