Migrant workers more flexible than UK workers and have a better work ethic, Sainsbury’s tells immigration inquiry

Sainsbury’s has praised the “superior” work ethic of immigrant workers in comparison to UK employees.

In a submission to a House of Lords inquiry into the impact of immigration, the supermarket giant said immigrants were more “flexible” and content with their terms and conditions of employment.

It said: “We have found migrant workers to have a very satisfactory work ethic, in many cases superior to domestic workers.

“They tend to be more willing to work flexibly, and be satisfied with their duties, terms and conditions and productivity requirements,” Sainsbury’s added.

In its submission, the chain, which has 150,000 employees, said that employing migrant workers in its stores often produced a positive effect on the domestic staff.

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However, it added, that it did not specifically recruit migrant workers and looked for the “highest calibre recruit” for any vacancy.

Sainsbury’s is currently subject to a controversial £10.6bn takeover bid from a Qatar-backed investment fund, Delta Two.