Illegal Polish only job adverts to be investigated

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has today stepped forward after receiving various complaints that a meat manufacturer in the UK which gave the go-ahead to advertise for employees who must "speak Polish". While we regularly see UK based companies criticised and prosecuted for following Gordon Brown's "British jobs for British workers" campaign this is the first time we have seen a high-profile investigation in the opposite direction.

While the company involved, Forza AW, has categorically denied barring English speaking workers from their company there is no doubt that the job applications were "live". Even though the company claims the adverts were placed in error and are in fact incorrect it is likely that a thorough investigation will be carried out in due course. The truth is that many UK employers, employees and business people will be concerned if no investigation is carried out into this claim.

Gordon Brown's demand for "British jobs for British workers" is something which was never going to happen purely and simply because it is unlawful. However, there is no doubt that we are seeing a backlash from the UK population with regards to foreign workers at this particular stage of the economic cycle. In reality, European laws have thrown open the UK employment doors to anybody working within Europe, much to the detriment of the UK workforce.