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Laid-Off Americans, Required to Zip Lips on Way Out, Grow Bolder
New York Times ^ | June 11,2016 | Julia Preston

Posted on 06/11/2016 1:16:30 PM PDT by Hojczyk

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. — American corporations are under new scrutiny from federal lawmakers after well-publicized episodes in which the companies laid off American workers and gave the jobs to foreigners on temporary visas.

But while corporate executives have been outspoken in defending their labor practices before Congress and the public, the American workers who lost jobs to global outsourcing companies have been largely silent.

Until recently. Now some of the workers who were displaced are starting to speak out, despite severance agreements prohibiting them from criticizing their former employers.

Mr. Peña said he had been told at first that he would train his Wipro replacements. But after Senator Durbin’s rebuke, Wipro workers were trained only by employees who would be remaining with Abbott, he said.

He and 13 other former Abbott employees filed federal claims saying they faced discrimination because of their ages and American citizenship, said Sara Blackwell, a lawyer representing them. Those claims are confidential. Ms. Blackwell organized the tavern meeting where Abbott workers were invited to mourn their jobs. Of the small group that came, only Mr. Peña spoke up.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: displacedamericans; displacedemployees; economy; h1b
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1 posted on 06/11/2016 1:16:30 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk

Here we are in our hand basket.


2 posted on 06/11/2016 1:20:00 PM PDT by bicyclerepair (Ft. Lauderdale FL (zombie land). TERM LIMITS ... TERM LIMITS)
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To: Hojczyk

‘Political Correction’ is OUT!!! If you have something to say, then have the spine to say it...

This is the Trump way!!!


3 posted on 06/11/2016 1:20:11 PM PDT by HarleyLady27 ('THE FORCE AWAKENS!!!' Trump; Trump; Trump; Trump; 100%)
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To: Hojczyk

I just have to ask why do Americans do not have any loyalty to their own citizens first, sad when you think about it.


4 posted on 06/11/2016 1:21:14 PM PDT by the_individual2014
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To: the_individual2014

I think this kind of consideration has decayed over decades. How many of us even know our neighbors as well as our parents did theirs?


5 posted on 06/11/2016 1:22:24 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Hojczyk

Wonder what happens if you sign, take the severance, and then speak out about this sorry labor practice. Would they really take you to court?


6 posted on 06/11/2016 1:23:04 PM PDT by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: Hojczyk

Some American companies have been refusing to hire Americans and hiring only unqualified non-Americans.


7 posted on 06/11/2016 1:23:45 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Media: completely irresponsible. Complicit in the destruction of this country.)
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To: Hojczyk

Americans need to learn about this practice. It doesn’t affect many yet, and a lot of people just think, “oh those IT people are overpaid anyway”, just as the IT people used to think “oh, those manufacturing people are overpaid anyway”.

It is the economic version of the old “First they came for the Jews...” meme.

The only way to defeat socialism in America is with jobs that become careers that become retirements. Without that, the young people will keep looking to Bernie and Fellow Travelers as their only hope for a future that doesn’t involve eating rat on a stick or Soylent Green.


8 posted on 06/11/2016 1:24:17 PM PDT by Bryanw92 (If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.)
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To: HarleyLady27

Exactly!!!!!


9 posted on 06/11/2016 1:24:36 PM PDT by JBW1949 (I'm really PC....PATRIOTICALLY CORRECT!!!!)
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To: the_individual2014

What makes you think the people at the top of these corporations are Americans?


10 posted on 06/11/2016 1:24:55 PM PDT by raybbr (That progressive bumpers sticker on your car might just as well say, "Yes, I'm THAT stupid!")
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To: Hojczyk
He and 13 other former Abbott employees filed federal claims saying they faced discrimination because of their ages and American citizenship, said Sara Blackwell, a lawyer representing them.

Now American citizens have to file suit against the employer because of the Uniparty's immigration laws which allow the incoming cheap labor express immigrants. Really? Then they wonder why Trump is so popular and why we, the American citizens are so pissed.

11 posted on 06/11/2016 1:25:14 PM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
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To: Hojczyk

You can’t criticize your former employer? I think the 1st Amendment says something about that.


12 posted on 06/11/2016 1:25:23 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: the_individual2014

And then on top of this growing American ennui, there is a factor I have had the opportunity to learn about in what might be a typical set of H1B contractors from India (because the firm happened to hire me as a contractor even though I am not from India).

These folks aren’t nihilists. I see, and sometimes even envy a little, the enthusiasm that goes on whenever they win a technical victory or have a personal milestone.

H1B’s, bluntly speaking, actually often DO sweeten the pot in some ways.

Now is this unchangeable? I say no, it isn’t. However American people are going to have to “get religion again.” Many of these H1Bs are Hindu, and I disagree with that theology; but at the same time I understand how the mythology of it addresses common issues that people have in this world. There is simply no excuse for gospel to be languishing in the streets, even if it takes a struggle to get it into action again. No excuse.


13 posted on 06/11/2016 1:28:38 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: ozzymandus

You can’t criticize your former employer? I think the 1st Amendment says something about that.


If you want the nice severance package they offer, or any severance for that matter, you sign an agreement to keep quiet.

Otherwise you get zip.


14 posted on 06/11/2016 1:29:04 PM PDT by chaosagent (Remember, no matter how you slice it, forbidden fruit still tastes the sweetest!)
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To: chaosagent
If you want the nice severance package they offer, or any severance for that matter, you sign an agreement to keep quiet.

You could make the case that it constitutes "signing under duress."

15 posted on 06/11/2016 1:30:54 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Bryanw92

The classic monolithic career and retirement is ONE way to address the issue; however even it came about because of larger factors beyond the scenes.

America lost its religion, in more ways than one. Our new situation is sometimes marked with hair-trigger antsiness. Something goes sour in the last financial quarter — off must come someone’s head. The idea of strategic sacrifices is more and more rare.


16 posted on 06/11/2016 1:32:38 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: ozzymandus
You can’t criticize your former employer? I think the 1st Amendment says something about that.

The protections of which you give up if you sign a non-disclosure agreement.

17 posted on 06/11/2016 1:34:50 PM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: Lower Deck

The company has to then sue you to get it back, and might not want the publicity.


18 posted on 06/11/2016 1:35:58 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: I want the USA back

The great majority of the nurses who work at my hospital are now foreign born.


19 posted on 06/11/2016 1:37:17 PM PDT by Catmom (We're all gonna get the punishment only some of us deserve.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck
The company has to then sue you to get it back, and might not want the publicity.

Maybe. But if you have a family, are in your fifties, and have to keep a roof over your head and health insurance active do you really want to risk it?

20 posted on 06/11/2016 1:37:26 PM PDT by Lower Deck
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