Research project on migrant workers living in Ireland - Press Release - February 20th 2008

 

Churches and Unions urged to reach out to migrant workers

 

Three out of four workers coming to Ireland find work through friends or the internet, and only a tiny proportion of migrant workers have prior knowledge of their employment rights.

 

These were among some of the findings in the Young Christian Workers research document, "What's the Story?" which was launched today by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Diarmuid Martin.

 

Over 200 migrant workers aged between 18 and 34 took part in detailed research which asked a range of questions on work, faith and social integration.

 

One of the key findings was that the success of the Polish Chaplaincy in the Archdiocese of Dublin, which, as well as providing spiritual services and outreach has acted as a key networking and information point for newly arrived Polish immigrants. YCW recommended that other Churches adopt similar approaches in helping migrant workers adapt to life in Ireland.

 

Among the recommendations was that the Churches and trade unions combine their resources to help inform migrant workers about their rights in the Irish workforce, while at the same time extending a caring, pastoral service to the workers and their families through Church life.

 

Among the key findings of the research were:

 

  • 75% of people coming here found out about jobs through friends or the internet
  • 14% had little or no knowledge of employment rights - with the exception of the minimum wage rate
  • Only 5% used organisations such as FAS or Trade Unions to find out about employment rights
  • 19% said they had experienced some type of religious or spiritual growth since arriving here.

 

The national Co-ordinator of YCW, Vicky Rattigan said that Christian and faith communities had at their core a spirit of helping and welcome and it was incumbent on them to try to ensure that people coming to live among them were treated fairly and were made feel part of their community "There is a huge opportunity for the Church and the Trade Union Movement to collaborate here and provide a safe space for those seeking information on their rights as workers plus emotional and spiritual support", Ms. Rattigan said. "This is about helping your neighbour, helping them try and improve their lives, trying to ensure they are not exploited, while at the same time, helping them feel welcome and not alone among us. Essentially we see a role for Church communities in informing people of their basic rights while offering them spiritual support in their efforts to build a life away from home."

 

The YCW's research concentrated on Work, Faith and Social integration of young migrants living in Ireland today.
In relation to faith, 19% of research participants said that they had experienced some type of religious or spiritual growth since arriving in Ireland. However, in the main, churches didn't seem to provide any social or emotional support to migrant workers and did little in the way of encouraging integration between Irish people and any of the migrant worker groups, exceptions being mosques as well as some Methodist and Pentecostal churches and the Polish Catholic Church in Dublin who offer a variety of networking and social opportunities after Mass. Ms Rattigan said, "Churches should work to ensure that immigrants are not merely extra faces in pews on a Sunday, but are encouraged to take part in community life and are actively welcomed by their Irish neighbours."

 

Relating to faith, the report recommends that:

 

  • The Catholic Church nationally engages in research with the Polish Chaplaincy in Dublin and learns from its experience in providing spiritual and practical help to immigrants and that information is shared with parishes around the country
  • Catholic & Anglican parishes should engage in more effective outreach towards migrant workers
  • The Catholic Church looks into the possibility of encouraging simple social activities immediately after Mass

 

Relating to work, the report recommends that:

 

  • Trade Unions meet National Chaplaincies of the Catholic Church on a regular basis with YCW acting as a conduit
  • Trade Unions develop new ways of engaging inter-culturally with migrant workers, and of making the trade union movement in Ireland better known to migrant workers
  • Trade Unions offer literature and website information in several languages

 

Relating to social needs, the report recommends that:

  • The plight of children of parents working illegally in Ireland is urgently addressed by the churches
  • That training be provided in inter-culturalism for community groups, unions and parishes, the main focus being on how to engage migrant workers into Irish run organisations
  • The creation of drop-in advice centres for migrant workers that focus on employment and legal issues, as well as other forms of support, such as helping migrants cope with the loneliness of arriving in a new country
  • YCW offer language classes that focus on issues that are core to the work and ethos of YCW

 

The report is available from the YCW National Office, 11 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 or can be downloaded here on our web site.

 

 

 

About the research project

 

Further information about our research project on migrant workers living in Ireland.