Posted on 05/26/2003 3:51:30 PM PDT by Lessismore
WASHINGTON: On a recent April afternoon in Silicon Valley, moments after he was told he had been laid off from his computer programming job at a Bank of America training centre, Kevin Flanagan stepped into the parking lot and shot himself dead.
Some of America's technology workers, who like Flanagan have also had to collect pink slips over the last several months, think they know why Flanagan took his life: Bank of America not only outsourced his job to India, but forced him to train Indian workers to do the job he had to give up.
In the weeks since his death, the techies have used the incident as fuel to fire a campaign against outsourcing to India, an issue that now seems poised to become a major sticking point between the two countries. Several US states are already considering legislation to ban or limit outsourcing.
Bank of America is one of several major US corporations – General Electric, Microsoft, Intel are among others - under scrutiny for outsourcing jobs to India. The Bank created what is called a "Global Delivery centre" in 2000 to identify projects that could be sent offshore.
Since then it has signed agreements with Infosys and Tata Consulting Services (TCS) to provide solutions and services.
In an e-mail exchange with this correspondent, Kevin's father Tom Flanagan said "a significant reason for which my son took his life was indeed as a result of his job being outsourced."
"Did he blame India for his job loss? No. He blamed the "system." He couldn't understand why Americans are losing jobs. Rather I should say he understood it economically, but not emotionally," Flanagan said.
Bank officials, who did not return calls relating to Flanagan's death, have said in the past that the deal with Indian companies would effect no more than 5 per cent of the bank's 21,000 employees, or about 1,100 jobs, in its technology and operations division.
According to some surveys, the US has lost at least 800,000 jobs in the past year and some 3.3 million jobs will move overseas over the next few years because of outsourcing, mostly to India.
The Bank has also acknowledged that it had asked local workers to train foreigners because such knowledge transfer was essential. According to Tom Flanagan, his son was "totally disgusted" with the fact that he and his fellow-workers had to train foreigners to do his job so they could take over. "That sir is a travesty," he said in one e-mail.
US tech workers are challenging the corporate world's claim that it is outsourcing work to improve bottomlines and efficiency. Some analysts have also pointed out that US corporations were being forced to tighten up by the same people who are moaning about outsourcing, and who, heavily invested in the stock market, demand better performance.
But on one website that discussed the Flanagan case, a tech worker pointed out that data processing consumed only a small per cent of revenues and was hardly a drain on the Bank's profit.
"(It is) a prosperous bank which has let greed trump any sense of patriotism or social responsibility," he fumed.
That's fine. As I said, let them flood us with H1 pilots from India/China. There are over 2 billion people between them both. I am sure they can scoop up just enough pilots of your qualifications (or better) to put you out of a job for 25% of your pay.
The point is, I made choices that allow me to decide when I will work; choices that are available to every living American at one time or another.
That's right. Being in IT industry was a good way to make a living as well. There are plenty of highly trained people who are now out of a job. Like I said, when I see you being succesful at competing with those who do your job at 20% - 25% of your salary - then we'll talk.
Now, times are hard. Things will get better. 90 percent of businesses in this country will NOT outsource. Most people in this country (around 85%) work for small businesses with less than 500 employees. They won't outsource.
Here is a link to the most recent ITAA forecast on high tech job trends. You'll need Adobe to read it. Click here to read a synopsis in regular html.
Oh, that is real nice.
If you think those of us who risked our lives while you slept were only "in the public trough", then there is nothing much I can say to you.
When I read that, I thought of a former wingman of mine who died a horrible death 8 years ago defending your right to say such a stupid thing.
Whether you like it or not, you are welcome, you(expletive deleted).
Note this about India: General living expenses for a student per year is approximately US$1200 — US$1800. This includes personal expenses, lodging in students hostels and all other incidental costs. (source)
That's $100-150 per month. Now tell me how *you* would compete against a pilot who can live on $100-150 a month. Looking forward to your reply.
They are a large massive group, I find it hard to put any kind of really collective sterotype on them, though there are alot of certain traits many of them do have. Hindu's in general seem to hate muslims (indian muslim or not), there is some bias from lighter skin indians towards darker skin indians (thank god they don't have an equivalent version of the NAACP there), along with smaller types of bias, that are no different from what one would find here, or in europe or anywhere else.
You are missing the point. Military doesn't outsource, nor do they compete when it comes to manpower.
Things will get better. 90 percent of businesses in this country will NOT outsource. Most people in this country (around 85%) work for small businesses with less than 500 employees. They won't outsource.
Never say never. None of the jobs that were outsourced in the last recession came back.
This is exactly the kind of stuff that you can get done in India for 75% less! Your management must be nuts to do this in the United States!
But since it is for the military, I guess it is the taxpayer who is getting screwed.
Indeed it is. What is the problem with getting a security clearance? Some mistake in your past? Those can be forgiven if not too serious. We had a guy in our department, that had gotten caught smoking dope when he was in the Army in Vietnam. (and I don't mean just MJ). He not only beat the dope, he managed to get first a standard clearance, and then a compartmented one. Unfortunately for him, I think he moved over from the defense side of the house, to the IT side. Well, he "knew" that Clintonsizing was coming to the defense side, it had already started in fact, and that the defense group would probably be sold, (it was) I just don't think he saw the freight train coming when he got out of the frying pan and jumped into the fire (to mix a metaphor rather badly. :) )
No, they're not exporting their jobs, just their entire economy. What is the unemployment rate in Europe? Sure, the standard of living is protected - with mandated 5 week vacations and free universal day care. It's the socialist dream. So why is unemployment in Europe twice the US rate? hmmm...
By the way, the Europeans are outsourcing too, including from Western to Eastern Europe. They are just doing it discretely. Most likely labor leaders are complicit. They recognize that if Europe does nothing, it will be entirely marginalized economically. The European socialists are just trying to do the bear minimum that will allow them to sustain the welfare state and to make up the difference using the "oil for palaces" program, etc.
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