Not a Polish Joke

This sounds like a Polish joke: How many chain gangs does it take to fill thousands of unfilled jobs in Poland though the unemployment rate is more than 15%?

Even though Polish unemployment is above 15%, employers are unable to find workers. So, Polish companies are now contacting Polish prisons to find workers.

The Polish economy in booming. Money is pouring in from the European Union. Foreign companies are investing in Poland and opening plants. But without workers, Poland will be seen as a grave investment mistake.

It seems that the main source of workers for some industries is now the Polish prisons.

One jail in Wadowice now has 12 gangs working all the time, and they are making new gangs as fast as they can. Most of the work is building work, some of it very skilled.

The convicts are happy to get cash and work experience and training that is useful when they get out of prison. It's the same all across Poland.

Polish emigration to the U.K. and a few other EU countries without work visa restrictions has been very high. The loss of talented workers has hurt many industries. There’s a labor shortage even with high unemployment figures.

There is a serious disconnect somewhere within the Polish labor market. Perhaps Polish prisons will issue a diploma for having successfully completed chain gang training.