This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Wills, J. Articles by McIlwaine, C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

London's Migrant Division of Labour

Queen Mary, University of London, UK, j.wills{at}qmul.ac.uk

Jon May

Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Kavita Datta

Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Yara Evans

Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Joanna Herbert

Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Cathy McIlwaine

Queen Mary, University of London, UK

This article is located in the maelstrom of debate about immigration and employment in the contemporary economy. The article presents original analysis of data from the Labour Force Survey and a workplace case-study in the cleaning sector to highlight growing employer dependence on a very diverse pool of foreign-born labour. The article explains such dependency by drawing on interview material collected from employers, employers' associations, community organizations and policymakers. In sum, we argue that London's Migrant Division of Labour (MDL) is a product of the semi-autonomous actions taken by employers, workers and government in the particular context of London. Understanding the MDL thus needs to encompass employer demand, migrants' `dual frame of reference' and limited access to benefits, as well as employers' preference for foreign-born workers over `native' labour supply.The state is also argued to play a critical role in this employment, determining the nature and terms of immigration, the accessibility and levels of benefits, and employment regulation. London's MDL is shown to intersect with, and in some cases overturn, existing patterns of labour market segmentation on the basis of human capital (class), ethnicity and gender.

Key Words: global city labour markets • hiring queue • immigration • London • low-paid work • migrant division of labour • migrant labour

References

• Anderson, B. (2007) `A Very Private Business: Exploring the Demand for Migrant Domestic Workers', European Journal of Women's Studies 14 (3): 247-64.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Anderson, B., Ruhs, M., Rogaly, B. and Spencer, S. (2006) `Fair Enough? Central and East European Migrants in Low-wage Employment in the UK'. Oxford: COMPAS working paper.
• Balibar, E. (2002) Politics and the Other Science. London: Verso.
• Black, R., Collyer, M., Skelton, R. and Waddington, C. (2005) `A Survey of the Illegally Resident Population in Detention in the UK', Home Office Online Report, 20/05. Accessed on 5 March 2009 at: [www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr2005.pdf ].
• Blanchflower, D., Saleheen, J. and Shadforth, C. (2007) `The Impact of the Recent Migration from Eastern Europe on the UK Economy'. Bank of England research paper accessed on 5 March 2009 at: [www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/speeches/2007/speech297.pdf].
• Bloch, A. and Schuster, L. (2005) `At the Extremes of Exclusion: Deportation, Detention and Dispersal', Ethnic and Racial Studies 28 (3): 491-512.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Bojadijev, M. and Saint-Saëns, I. (2006) `Borders, Citizenship, War, Class: a Discussion with Étienne Balibar and Sandro Mezzadra', New Formations 58: 10-30.
• Buck, N. and Gordon, I. (2000) `Turbulence and Sedimentation in the Labour Markets of Late Twentieth Century Metropoles', in G. Bridge and S. Watson (eds) A Companion to the City, pp. 181-91. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Castles, S. (2004) `Why Migration Policies Fail', Ethnic and Racial Studies 27 (2): 205-27.[Web of Science]
• Castles, S. and Kosack, G. (1973) Immigrant Workers and Class Structure in Western Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Church, A. and Frost, M. (2004) `Tourism, the Global City and the Labour Market in London', Tourism Geographies 6 (2): 208-28.[CrossRef]
• Collins, J. (2006) `The Changing Political-economy of Australian Immigration', Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 97: 7-16.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Cornelius,W. (2005) `Controlling "Unwanted" Immigration: Lessons from the United States, 1993-2004', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 31 (3): 775-94.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Datta, K., McIlwaine, C., Wills, J., Evans, Y., Herbert, J., and May, J. (2007) `From Coping Strategies to Tactics: London's Low Pay Economy and Migrant Labour', British Journal of Industrial Relations 45 (2): 404-32.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Datta, K., McIlwaine, C., Herbert, J., Evans, Y., May, J. and Wills, J. (2008) `Men on the Move: Narratives of Migration and Work among Low Paid Migrant Men in London'. Paper available from the authors.
• Dench, S., Hurstfield, J., Hill, D. and Akroyd, K. (2006) `Employers' Use of Migrant Labour', Home Office Online Report 04/06. London: Home Office. Accessed on 5 March 2009 at: [ www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr0406.pdf].
• Edwards, R.C., Reich, M. and Gordon, D.M. (eds) (1975) Labor Market Segmentation. Lexington, MA: DC Heath.
• Evans, Y., Wills, J., Datta, K., Herbert, J., May, J. and McIlwaine, C. (2007a) Subcontracting by Stealth in London's Hotels: Impacts and Implications for Labour Organising', Just Labour: a Canadian Journal of Work and Society 10: 85-97. Accessed on 5 March 2009 at: [http://www.justlabour.yorku.ca/].
• Evans, Y., Wills, J., Datta, K., Herbert, J., McIlwaine, C., May, J., Osvaldo de Araújo, J., França, A.C. and França, A.P. (2007b) Brazilians in London: a Report for the Strangers into Citizens Campaign. Accessed on 5 March 2009 at: [http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/globalcities/].
• Flynn, D. and Williams, Z. (2007) (eds) Towards a Progressive Immigration Policy. London: Compass.
• Gilpin, N., Henty, M., Lemos, S., Portes, J. and Bullen, C. (2006) `The Impact of Free Movement of Workers from Central and Eastern Europe on the UK Labour Market. Working Paper 29'. London: Department for Work and Pensions.
• GLA (Greater London Authority) (2006) A Fairer London: The Living Wage in London. London: GLA.
• Herbert, J., May, J., Wills, J., Datta, K., Evans, Y. and McIlwaine, C. (2008) Multicultural Living? Experiences of Everyday Racism among Ghanaian Migrants in London', European Urban and Regional Studies 15 (2): 103-17.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Hiebert, D. and Ley, D. (2006) `Introduction: The Political Economy of Immigration', Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 97 (1): 3-6.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Hjarnø, J. (2003) Illegal Immigrants and Developments in Employment in the Labour Markets of the European Union. Aldershot: Ashgate.
• HM Treasury (2007) Employment Opportunity for All: Tackling Worklessness in London. London: HMSO.
• Hollifield, J.F. (1992) Immigrants, Markets and States: The Political Economy of Post-war Europe. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Hollifield, J.F. (2004) `The Emerging Migration State', International Migration Review 38 (3): 885-912.[Web of Science]
• Home Office (2006) `A Points-based System: Making Migration Work for Britain', Cmd Paper 6741. London: Home Office.
• Home Office and Commonwealth Office (2007) Managing Global Migration: a Strategy to Build Stronger International Alliances to Manage Migration. London: Home Office.
• Hyndman, J. (2005) `Migration Wars: Refuge or Refusal? ' Geoforum 36: 3-6.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Ipsos Mori (2008) Political Monitor: Recent Trends: the Most Important Issues Facing Britain Today. Accessed in July 2008 at: [http://www.ipsosmori.com/polls/trends/issues12.shtml ].
• Jackson, P. (1992) `The Racialisation of Labour in Post-war Bradford', Journal of Historical Geography 18: 190-209.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Kaplanis, I. (2007) The Geography of Employment Polarisation in Britain. London: Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
• Kyambi, S. (2005) Beyond Black and White: Mapping New Immigrant Communities. London: Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
• Labrianidis, L. and Sykas, T. (2009) `Migrants, Economic Mobility and Socio-economic Change in Rural Areas: the Case of Greece', European Urban and Regional Studies 16 (3): 237-56.
• Legrain, P. (2007) Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them. London: Little, Brown.
• Leontaridi, M. (1998) `Segmented Labour Markets', Journal of Economic Surveys 12 (1): 103-9.[CrossRef]
• London Citizens (2008) `May Day Mass and Rally'. Accessed on 7 April 2008 at: [http://www.londoncitizens.org.uk/campaigns.html].
• LSE (London School of Economics) (2007) The Impact of Recent Immigration on the London Economy. London: City of London Corporation.
• Mackintosh, M. (2005) London: the World in a City: an Analysis of the 2001 Census Results. London: Greater London Authority.
• Matthews and Ruhs, M. (2007) `Are You Being Served? Employer Demand for Migrant Labour in the UK's Hospitality Sector', Working paper No. 51. University of Oxford: COMPAS.
• May, J., Wills, J., Datta, K., Evans, Y., Herbert, J. and McIlwaine, C. (2007) `Keeping London Working: Global Cities, the British State, and London's New Migrant Division of Labour', Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 37 (2): 151-67.
• Mezzadra, S. (2005) `Citizen and Subject: a Postcolonial Constitution for the European Union?'. Accessed on 7 April 2008 at: [www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/crisp/papers/mezzadra_citizen_subject.pdf ].
• Migrant Rights Network (2008) Papers Please: the Impact of a Government Campaign on the Employment Rights of Vulnerable Migrants. London: Migrant Rights Network.
• Miles, R. (1982) Racism and Migrant Labour. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
• Miles, R. (1988) `Racism, Marxism and British Politics', Economy and Society 17 (3): 428-60.
• Miles, R. and Brown, M. (1989) Racism. London: Routledge.
• Model, S. (2002) `Immigrants' Social Class in Three Global Cities', in M. Cross and R. Moore (eds) Globalization and the New City: Migrants, Minorities and Urban Transformations in Comparative Perspective, pp. 82-118. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
• Modood, T., Berthoud, R., Lakey, J., Nazroo, J., Smith, P., Virdee, S. and Beishon, S. (1997) Ethnic Minorities in Britain. London: Policy Studies Institute.
• Peck, J. (1996) Work-place. London: Guilford.
• Phillimore, J. and Goodson, L. (2006) `Problem or Opportunity? Asylum Seekers, Refugees, Employment and Social Exclusion in Deprived Urban Areas', Urban Studies 43 (10): 1715-36.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Piore, M. (1979) Birds of Passage: Migrant Labor and Industrial Societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Portes, J. and French, S. (2005) `The Impact of Free Movement of Workers from Central and Eastern Europe on the UK Labour Market: Early Evidence', Department for Work and Pensions, Working Paper 18.
• Portes, A. and. Rumbaut, R. (2001) Legacies: the Story of the Immigrant Second Generation. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press and Russell Sage Foundation.
• Ruhs, M. (2006) `Greasing the Wheels of the Flexible Labour Market: East European Labour Immigration in the UK', Working Paper 38. University of Oxford: COMPAS.
• Ryan, B. (2005) (ed.) Labour Migration and Employment Rights. London: Institute for Employment Rights.
• Sassen, S. (2001) Global City: New York, London, Tokyo, 2nd edn. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
• Sokol, M., Wills, J., Anderson, J., Evans, Y., Buckley, M., Frew, C. and Hamilton, P. (2006) The Impact of Improved Pay and Conditions on Low-paid Urban Workers: the Case of the Royal London Hospital. London: Queen Mary, University of London.
• Sparke, M. (2006) `A Neo-liberal Nexus: Economy, Security and the Biopolitics of Citizenship on the Border. Political Geography 25: 151-80.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Spence, L. (2005) Country of Birth and Labour Market Outcomes in London: an Analysis of Labour Force Survey and Census Data. London: Greater London Authority.
• Stenning, A. and Dawley, S. (2009) `Poles to Newcastle: Grounding New Migrant Flows in Peripheral Regions', European Urban and Regional Studies 16 (3): 273-94.
• Van Houtum, H. and van Naerssen, T. (2002) `Bordering, Ordering and Othering'. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Social Geografie 93: 125-36.[CrossRef]
• Vertovec, S. (2007) Superdiversity and its Implications. Ethnic and Racial Studies 30 (6): 1024-54.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Waldinger, M. and Lichter, M.I. (2003) How the Other Half Works: Immigration and the Social Organization of Labor. Berkeley: University of California Press.
• Wills, J. (2004) `Campaigning for Low Paid Workers: the East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) Living Wage Campaign', in W. Brown, G. Healy, E. Heery and P. Taylor (eds) The Future of Worker Representation, pp. 264-82.. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Wills, J. May, J. Datta, K. Evans, Y. Herbert, J. and McIlwaine, C. (forthcoming) `Religion at Work: the Role of Faith-based Organisations in the London Living Wage Campaign', Special issue entitled `Transforming Work', The Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society.
• Winder, R. (2004) Bloody Foreigners: the Story of Immigration to Britain. London: Little, Brown.
• Zolberg, A. (1999) `Matters of State: Theorizing Immigration Policy', in C. Hirschman, P. Kasinitz and J. de Wind (eds) The Handbook of International Migration: the American Experience, pp. 71-93. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

European Urban and Regional Studies, Vol. 16, No. 3, 257-271 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0969776409104692


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Wills, J. Articles by McIlwaine, C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?