Save our jobs.

Wed Feb 27 15:32:37 PST 2002

On Wed, Feb 27, 2002 at 01:19:58PM -0500, Derek J. Balling wrote:
> Right, but we're not talking about "radical career shifts" here. 
> We're talking about things like "The C jockey (A) who was working on 
> $FOO_PROJECT" who is a US citizen, and "The C jockey (B) working on 
> $BAR_PROJECT" who has an H1. When $FOO_PROJECT is downsized, 
> CJockey(A) should start working on $BAR_PROJECT and give CJockey(B) 
> the layoff notice.

	so, you propose that instead of bearing the risk `my project would
	be closed, and I can be laid off' our worker B would have a risk `any project
	in my department would close, I'll be the one to go first.'  This
	would boost morale, no doubt.

	I have seen situations when people with H1 visas were kept and people
	with GC or citizenship were laid off exactly because it would be easier for latter
	to find a new job.  Call this `fair', if you like.

	From corporation's point of view, laying off 1 worker is cheaper than
	laying off 1 worker _and_ retraining another one to do his job.

> I think you have to worry about both, really. If we're sacrificing 
> citizens' jobs in favor of non-citizens' jobs - ever - then we're 
> doing something wrong.
> 
> It's bad enough when a company decides it can save money by sending 
> the jobs overseas. It's worse when the company decides it's going to 
> lay YOU off and keep the guy sitting next in the cubicle next to you, 
> ESPECIALLY when the only reason that guy has a job in that cube AT 
> ALL is because the company said to the government "there's not a 
> single US citizen who is qualified to do this job", and as you are 
> shown the pink-slip door, you possess those qualifications.

	People and jobs are not all the same.  Try to look at `made in' labels
	for all clothing, electronics, furniture, and cookware you have.
	I have 0 which say `U.S.A.'  The companies already made this move in other
	industries, today they'll start to make it in computer programming / IT
	(I don't like the term `hi-tech' because I fail to see how webmaster is
	more hi-tech than a doctor or car mechanic.)

	Last week, I have placed phone call to Netapp technical support.
	They warned me that it can be handled by international support center.
	And sure it was.  Took me 3 minutes to get used to accent (the support was
	good, by the way.)

> >Where would the US be without the influx of immigrants that built the
> >country?
> 
> The immigrants of yesterday - who forced their kids and themselves to 
> learn english, prided themselves on assimilating INTO American 
> culture - are not necessarily the immigrants of today. TODAY, it is 
> quite common to go through entire neighborhoods and not see a single 
> sign written in English.

	Aha.  Here we go.  It's racial/language/national after all.
	I just see all those neighborhoods of sysadmins, webmasters, java programmers,
	and network engineers covered with cryptic characters from some weird
	afro-mongolian alphabet.

Try to fight corporations, for once, and not alienate cubicle neighbours.
And remember, Intel CEO Andy Grove had an H1-B, too.
Oh, and there are many industries where foreigners cannot apply (government and military
come to mind.)