The head of Manpower claims Brexit would make it more difficult to attract the brightest and best (Report, 14 June). I wonder what proportion of Manpower’s placements are the brightest and best? Or is it more a case of an endless supply of cheap labour on which it can make good margins?
The issue has been exacerbated by successive governments restricting young people’s entry to work, and society considering any work that is lower paid, lower skilled or just getting your hands dirty as demeaning and worthless. When we leave the EU, the government must address this as a priority.
Simon Warde
Bognor Regis, West Sussex
• Now we know the underside of the EU accord on the free movement of workers (Poultry workers win compensation in high court for slavery, 11 June). A British company was found guilty of severely exploiting six Lithuanian workers. Given the inhuman conditions and starvation wages, it’s no wonder British workers shunned the jobs.
Yugo Kovach
Winterborne Houghton, Dorset
• It is inconceivable that the UK could get a significantly different deal on freedom of movement to that of Norway and Switzerland, if it is to get the same free-trade arrangements. And it is just not credible to imagine that we will dispense with these arrangements. It is clear many people who would normally support Labour are facing serious problems because of the way this country has failed to deal with the influx of foreign workers. But if they get Brexit, they will be bitterly let down, because that influx won’t stop, and the government we face having will be even worse at dealing with that.
Kevin McGrath
Harlow, Essex
• The great problem with the EU debate is that there hasn’t been one. I am staying in a place where there are many “grey” voters. The only thing I have heard them discussing is immigration – and sadly some of that discussion has amounted to racism.
Isobel Lane
London
• Employers in retail distribution would presumably seek to employ stock-pickers and drivers under a points-style immigration system and have to guarantee minimum pay and working hours. Would this leave UK workers alone on zero-hours contracts?
Richard Davies
Southport, Lancashire
• Matthew d’Ancona (Opinion, 13 June) is right: pragmatic border controls are part of any social contract – and that’s precisely what we cannot have if we remain in the EU. Freedom of movement of workers is enshrined in the EU constitution.
Fawzi Ibrahim
Trade Unionists Against the EU
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