Posted on 04/28/2005 4:41:23 PM PDT by churchillbuff
"Outsourcing" – which has become synonymous with sending American jobs to India or China – could soon mean foreign workers sleeping in ships just a few miles off America's coasts.
In an outrageous affront to U.S. labor laws, a California company plans to anchor a 600-cabin cruise ship just beyond the three-mile limit off the coast of El Segundo, near Los Angeles, and stock it with foreign software programmers. Story Continues Below
The company, SeaCode, will seek to classify the workers as "seamen," avoiding U.S. payroll taxes and the need for immigration visas. Programmers from places like India and Russia would work 8-hour or 10-hour shifts, either day or night. Take-home pay: About $21,500 a year.
Compare that to the salary of an American programmer – median salary for programmers is around $60,000, and those with extensive experience can make $125,000 or more - and U.S. companies like SeaCode could reap a windfall.
SeaCode says it will charge clients the same rate as firms in developing countries. The company says the significant benefit of having the low-cost programmers near the U.S. is that clients will be spared from long flights to India and other far-off destinations to check on projects.
By using foreigners working on boats, SeaCode also believes projects will get done more quickly as their programmers toil both day and night. "Try to get American software engineers to work at night," SeaCode co-founder David Cook told Forbes magazine, explaining his delight in the outsourcing scheme.
But Jack Martin, special projects director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, complained: "All it would do is be a further contribution to eroding the job opportunities for skilled American workers."
SeaCode is close to making an offer for the Carousel, a ship now sailing around the Canary Islands. The vessel would dock in Long Beach once a month to take on supplies and dispose of waste – isn't that nice? But legally speaking, the SeaCode scheme could face stormy seas.
"It's not my prerogative to tell them to take a hike," said El Segundo Mayor Kelly McDowell. "I'll leave that to the Coast Guard."
What a brilliant idea. Why didnt I think of that?
Sweat shop?
Doubt it will come off...
Hmmm...target practice for the USS Jim Carter shake down cruise? /sar.
Actually, sounds like fun on the boat. Be sure to find some girl programmers too.
And mabe you can beat them on Friday's too! Slave labor for everyone!
btttt
Confuscious say:3 mile swim in the ocean is far better than 100 meter wade in the Rio Grande
Get your bump list out. It no longer just about selling America down the Ganges anymore.
Sign me up (except I want more pay).
The US claims 200 miles off their shores. Ooops.
This sounds like the 21st century equivalent of a slaving ship.
Sweat boat.
Sweat boat bump!
Why not? No law against it--further demonstrating our laws are now being written to protect foreign companies from competing against American companies, instead of allowing American companies to compete on a level playing field by ending ridiculous labor regulations and taxation.
Of course, Bush and the RINO Senators will probably try to fully pass LOST to "stop commercial exploitation of the U.S. EEZ 'just like this.'"
Under the "Lost treaty" it will be three.
Really, really dumb idea. All they need is a high speed line and the workers can work from home.
LOST ping, perhaps?
It's a dumb idea if you stop and think about it. Ships aren't inexpensive to run with fuel, food, crew, catering, housekeeping, maintenance all needed to keep the programmers in business. Outsourced IT talent in India or China don't have that expense. What advantage is involved with having them just offshore over on land in Asia? I don't see the big attraction.
I simply don't buy it, after a reread.
"Try to get American software engineers to work at night."
Yeah, because coders NEVER work at night. They're not known for all-nighters at all. /sarc
In hindsight, I have to believe this is a ploy to get publicity on the issue of outsourcing. Where do they get the boat? Are there simply cruise ships just lying around? I don't think there's even that much demand for coding that it'd be worth running a boat which would HAVE to have gas generators of its own and satlinks to the net to work.
I heavily doubt the veracity of this.
Great minds think alike. Ping to 19.
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