The impact of eastward enlargement on construction labour markets in European Union member states

This chapter concerns the impact of labour migration on the construction industry in the enlarged European Union (EU). It reviews the varying patterns of employment for construction labour in Europe and considers how these different employment conditions influence the labour process. The movement of construction labour within Europe is considered and the chapter argues that diverse economic and geographical conditions will influence the quantity of migrant labour in different European countries. Labour migration was small in the pre- 2004 EU and is likely to remain small in terms of the numbers currently involved in the EU construction industries; nevertheless, it is expected to grow in the near future. Finally, the benefits and risks of labour migration are considered from the perspective of the migrant worker and indigenous construction employees in respect of wage levels and productivity.