Before Covid-19, we regularly shipped labour around the world: at both ends of the contingent workforce. At the top end, we ship workers with expertise around the world because some skills become so specialised there is not enough work for them. We may not need that many deep sea vessel salvage experts: the few that there are go offshore for work.
Then at the other end of the scale, we in more wealthy countries ship lower skilled labour from poorer nations to do our grunt work because our own people no longer want to do poorly paid hard labouring roles. Such as Dubai shipping in Filipino nannies and cleaners. Such as the UK shipping in Eastern European factory workers. Such as New Zealand shipping in Pasifika horticultural workers.
There was some Government research done in Australia showing that Australians no longer wanted to do "peasant" work on the land. There is a feeling of distaste for manual labour, that this lower class work: why would any of us chose to wear out our bodies for the sake of earning a living (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006).
"You have to understand that agriculture-horticulture is a peasant industry. We cannot avoid that. All around the world, in every country you go to, it is regarded as a peasant industry … [P]eople do not want to be out in the sun in the middle of summer doing labour work in horticulture" (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006, p. 13)
I suspect that New Zealanders too want to use our brains, and not our brawn. If we asked any Kiwi parent what they would prefer for their children, given three choices - labouring role, trades, or a degree - most of them would want their kids to be better off than they were. Most would see more kudos and longevity in a degree than a trade, but definitely a trade over labouring. I would think that the Australian impression of "peasant" work would also be why New Zealanders remain reluctant to apply work in horticultural and farm labour roles, and that the pay would have to be significantly higher than it is now to attract people into the sector.
Which also begs the question: that if New Zealanders - like Australians - no longer want to do manual, seasonal work, should our country's policy be to import workers from elsewhere? Is doing this a sustainable practice? I think that this is probably a "no" answer. Once people from the nations who come here to work have options at home, I think they will stay at home and work there.
So is there another way? What alternatives are there? Can we automate our way out of this difficulty? It will be an interesting space to watch.
But with Covid-19, I feel that shipping labour around the world has become a practice that is too risky to continue.
Sam
References:
Commonwealth of Australia (2006). Perspectives on the future of the harvest labour force. Australian Senate Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations and Education. https://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/wopapub/senate/committee/eet_ctte/completed_inquiries/2004_07/contract_labour/report/report_pdf.ashx
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