Irish operatives
Sir: In his column (Another Voice, 9 April), Mr Auberon Waugh states that 'the Building Employers Confederation is re- cruiting its workforce in Ireland'. From this, he makes the very odd sociological assertion that sections of the managerial class are reluctant to emply large sections of the British working class.
This might be an interesting if somewhat bizarre theory if it wasn't for the fact that it is no part of the BEC function to recruit operatives for member companies in Ire- land or in any other parts of the EEC or indeed the world. Presumably he has based his conclusions on a statement recently issued by Mr Barry Sheerman MP which was quite innacurate.
On the general issue of recruitment in the building industry, there has long been a high degree of mobility among building workers. The industry's labour force has traditionally included a number of Irish operatives. Where the demand exists, member companies are invariably willing to recruit properly trained operatives — and particularly local persons. The industry operates the largest training scheme for young persons (YTS), which leads to skil- led job opportunities in the country. Va- rious measures to further training opportu- nities for local people are being developed in the Docklands area.
Reading Mr Waugh over the years, it seems to me that, entertaining as he is, he tends sometimes to pursue all sorts of strange arguments to make a case against those less fortunately born than himself. I can only say that those arguments would be more convincing when based on actual fact in the first place.
Peter Shapcott
Director, London Region, Building Employers Federation, 18/20 Duchess Mews, London WI
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