A Mainframe-Size Visa Loophole

Business Week Magazine ^ | March 6, 2003 | By Brian Grow in Orlando, Fla., with Manjeet Kripalani in Bombay

[softengine]

Senior systems analyst Patricia Fluno was shocked when she found out last summer that she and 11 colleagues in the Lake Mary (Fla.) offices of Siemens (SI ) were being replaced by techies brought in by Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest information-technology (IT) consulting firm. Fluno, 53, couldn't understand how Tata and Siemens could bring Indian workers into the U.S.

[softengine]

This is why our Senators and Congressmen are busily snapping up all the goodies offered to them. They know America is doomed and that, they had better get all they can while the getting is good. This is also why you will never see real, honest, open dialog on immigration. They already know the situation is too far gone to salvage. It is also why, and it should be abundantly clear to all of us now, that whatever turnaround of our economy Mr. Bush is able to pull off, it is only temporary.

We've sold more than our jobs. We've sold our country.

[philetus]

Immigration & Naturalization Service is reviewing the L-1 visa program "to assess whether companies are using the L-1 to circumvent the H-1B program,"

Of course they are you morons

[banjo joe]

Check the BW article. A co-worker showed it to me. I'm stunned to learn it's not only IT, but accounting, CAD/CAM, architecture, legal services, radiology and others that are being hit hard. According to the piece, everything that does not require face to face contact.

When the only jobs in town are at Wal-Mart (which is why I commute 3 hours/day) who will buy the cheap crap they peddle there?

Where will the politicos get tax "revenues"? Wont be from income taxes.

[softengine]

When the only jobs in town are at Wal-Mart (which is why I commute 3 hours/day) who will buy the cheap crap they peddle there?

We continue to export higher paying jobs overseas, while swallowing up more and more low paying service industry type jobs. We are told that American industry demands more and more of these low end jobs, but when it comes time to support this country's programs (social security to name just one), these low end jobs will not produce enough input to adequately support them. We scream to our representatives but they either pretend not to see the train wreck that is about to happen, or they numbly repeat tired lines like 'American industry wants more of these jobs' like some kind of weird mantra.

As much as I hate to be the voice of doom and gloom, I truly believe this will destroy us.

[Alouette]

$98,000 a year.

She was making this much as a SYSTEMS ANALYST? Why am I not surprised she got canned? OK, it bites that she got replaced by an Indian, but there are plenty of experienced AMERICAN systems analysts who will work for much less than that.

[Jack Black]

We just laid off six people. Four were Indian immigrants. If they stay eventually they stop being cheap offshore people, then they have to compete, and often can't. Of course they are extremely racist and build entire little cartels in companies they dominate, entire Indian departments. The goal for those has to be complete elimination of whatever function they are doing, with 100% layoffs. Meanwhile the MegaCorp HR department keeps bragging about our diversity. About the "Indian Engineer" awards they give each other, ad nausium. Screw it, use the pink slip.

[Domestic Church]

Siemens is German isn't it? If we can stop using french wine why not stop using german products too?

[bvw]

Did they ask her if she would take a cut rather than lose her job, or did they just dump her?

Partner in the entrprise, or just a wage-slave?

[Porterville]

F!#5 it!! I quit. Come on in, but the dinner is on you. If your indian you have to bring in those tasty candied lemons and those sugared rum balls. And I want curry, lots of it, and those red chickens...or is that Chinese food??

[IncredibleHulk]

Partner in the entrprise, or just a wage-slave?

I worked for Computer Sciences Corporation when Hughes had to outsource to get rid of all the deadwood that refused to upgrade their skill set and the union backed them up. Thirty-five mainframers won't get their ass back into a classroom at company expense so everyone has to go. At least it was good for me. I was looking for a new job and there was CSC looking for new people in El Segundo for a much higher salary than I was currently making. hulkster

[stylin19a]

I work for an IT Consulting Co.. One of our clients is adiosing us for this place:

Registered Office:
Satyam Computer Services Ltd.
1st Floor, Mayfair Centre, S P Road
Secunderabad ? 500003
Andhra Pradesh
India

We developed this system back in the 70-80's when we worked for a software house.

The client took it in-house, then found out they couldn't handle it. We started an IT Co. and won the business to enhance & maintain the system we developed.

We charge them mid-1980's rates. We haven't asked for a hike in rates since we got the business in 1996. We aren't greedy. We give them more than they ask for, or contract for.

The sad part is, I have to TRAIN my replacement. I have to write user manuals for these people, which isin't in our contract. ( They can't read functional specifications ? They can't read program specifications ?) I'm sure they may be competant, but this system is so complicated, that I really don't believe they will be able to handle it.

We've handled this with class, but if we have to come back and put out the fire, it's going to cost them big time.

[Bush2000]

Of course they are extremely racist and build entire little cartels in companies they dominate, entire Indian departments.

Talk about gross generalizations. I happen to know a lot of Indian people -- and they're among the most friendly, gracious, and generous people I've ever met.

[B4Ranch]

ping

[B4Ranch]

ping

Notes for free traders HI-B Visas vs L-1's?

[B4Ranch]

Simple answer is just quit now before your replacement knows how to wipe his butt.

[stylin19a]

That would be an option. No matter what, we are history with this client by 10/03.
We have other clients and we have 2 developed products of which one is taking off. I'll be sticking around to see how all this comes out.

[B4Ranch]

You might try getting an attorney NOW. Have him/her follow the case day by day with the company knowing what is going on. Make yourself to damn expensive to layoff.

[RightOnGOP]

Just curious, but what state are you in? city/metro area? I'm interested to compare it to my state (NC) and our relative economy.