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Global Cities At Work: New Migrant Divisions of Labour
This book is about the people who always get taken for granted. The people who clean our offices and trains, care for our elders and change the sheets on the bed. Global Cities at Work draws on testimony collected from more than 800 foreign-born workers employed in low-paid jobs in London during the early years of the new century.
Global Cities at Work breaks new ground in linking London's new migrant division of labour to the twin processes of subcontracting and increased international migration that have been central to contemporary processes of globalisation.
Global Cities at Work raises the level of debate about migrant labour, encouraging policy-makers, journalists and social scientists to look behind the headlines. The book calls us to take a politically-informed geographical view of our urban labour markets and to prioritise the issue of working poverty and its implications for both unemployment and community cohesion.
Global Cities at Work breaks new ground in linking London's new migrant division of labour to the twin processes of subcontracting and increased international migration that have been central to contemporary processes of globalisation.
Global Cities at Work raises the level of debate about migrant labour, encouraging policy-makers, journalists and social scientists to look behind the headlines. The book calls us to take a politically-informed geographical view of our urban labour markets and to prioritise the issue of working poverty and its implications for both unemployment and community cohesion.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2009
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February 5, 2010
Important book. Very much on the same terrain as Doreen Massey's World City, but concentrating on the position of migrants in the social and political economy of London. The big theme is the character of the division of labour, with migrants being directed by a range of factors into occupancy of low paid, low prestige jobs. In this it goes a long way towards arguing that migration does have a negative impact on the resident working class, by driving down the wage levels of entry level low skilled job. With the going wage so low, resident (native?) workers risk a reduction of living standards maintained by social security subsidies.
But the book does not blame migrants. On the contrary, it argues that the solution that would benefit both redient and migrants would be minimum wages paid on the living wage principle, social security benefits payable to all migrant workers, and strict enforcement of the legal minimum wage and health and safety regulations.
The final chapter argues that the politics needed to sustain pressure for these reforms is more likely to come from the type of citizens alliances which are more likely to be held together by faith communities, like London Citizens. I'm more sceptical but I appreciate that they do have a good argument.
But the book does not blame migrants. On the contrary, it argues that the solution that would benefit both redient and migrants would be minimum wages paid on the living wage principle, social security benefits payable to all migrant workers, and strict enforcement of the legal minimum wage and health and safety regulations.
The final chapter argues that the politics needed to sustain pressure for these reforms is more likely to come from the type of citizens alliances which are more likely to be held together by faith communities, like London Citizens. I'm more sceptical but I appreciate that they do have a good argument.
Displaying 1 of 1 review