Ultimate insult for American programmers as employers seek cheaper labor

modesto bee ^ | 8-11-03 | Rachel Konrad

[hoosierskypilot]

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Scott Kirwin clung to his job at a large investment bank through several rounds of layoffs last year. Friends marveled at the computer programmer's ability to dodge pink slips during the worst technology downturn in a decade. But it was tough for Kirwin, 36, to relish his final assignment: training a group of programmers from India who would replace him within a year.

[lelio]

"If someone does something really well, we want the person who's going to perform a similar function abroad to learn from the master. Then the person in the United States will continue to do their job just as before," Dundas said.

... Dundas said while holding back a laugh.

[ Texas Instruments ]: "You have a declining pool from which to draw, and more of those people are foreign nationals," Larson said.

Care to back that up with any figures? We don't have enough smart people in our country. What's that? Oh we don't have enough smart people that want to work for $5k a year.

[scottlang]

I had to train my IT replacement last year. It blows.

[Dialup Llama]

Perhaps Dundas in a member of that organization which believes its OK to lie as long as it advances the cause of your group or a member of your group.

[usnret99]

The out-sourced job's are in India not the United States. So Taxes are not paid in the US.

[MD_Willington_1976]

That does suck...I hope you filled the replacements head full of crap so that they are ineffective...one dirty trick deserves another...

[harpseal]

ping


on or off let me know

[Lion in Winter]

"Intel provides L-1 workers a cost-of-living adjustment if they work at the Santa Clara headquarters or elsewhere in the United States. Intel pays for housing, cars, return trips to the workers' home countries and full medical benefits - a package that ends up costing significantly more than hiring an American, she said."

Well, such a deal. Where do we Americans go to apply for that glorious deal?

[dalebert]

Bump to read later.

[AD from SpringBay]

"They called it 'knowledge acquisition,'" the Wilmington, Del., resident said.

Information Technology is now a commodity, like Mexican laborers.

[scottlang]

I just played along until I found a new job. I then quit.

[Lion in Winter]

"Intel provides L-1 workers a cost-of-living adjustment if they work at the Santa Clara headquarters or elsewhere in the United States. Intel pays for housing, cars, return trips to the workers' home countries and full medical benefits - a package that ends up costing significantly more than hiring an American, she said."

Well, such a deal. Where do we Americans go to apply for that glorious deal?

[scottlang]

American need not apply!!!

[Steven W.]

those who've worked in the field know that these types of IT positions are usually held by those who couldn't cut it in a real, competitive or R&D environment. Their labor truly is repetitive and boring and near always attracts the least qualified of candidates. Only once in my professional career did I entertain such a position, leading new development of the in-house trading systems for one of the nations largest mutual fund companies. What I found & confirmed, however, was that all of the other people who worked in the company, under the auspices of IT, outside my direct hire line, were complete & total idiots and would all h ave been barely capable of holding technology positions in near any other environment. Seriously, near absolute morons. Then, one day, I was speaking with the Executive VP of the IT Dept. and he "confessed" that the job he was now holding was what he'd always dreamed about, "back in the days (he) started as a JANITOR for Salomon Smith Barney" (not the company we were then working for). That little tidbit confirmed all my worst suspicions and I got out, quickly, and never again considered working with or for anybody that would fall under the umbrella of "IT"

[StatesEnemy]

And some labor experts say out-of-work programmers should stop complaining, and focus on their own re-training

Well gee... it would be nice to first pay of the loans of the last re-training.

Ohh well, I'll stay in default.

[riri]

Ohh well, I'll stay in default

I was just thinking to myself this morning that I hope every one of you IT guys that's lives are being turned upside down defaults on your student loans.

[Salgak]

I'm the temp replacement for a Nigerian. In 9 months, my job goes poof, as they've "promised" to give it back to him.

Mind you, I might have a little chat with the INS. . .

[clamper1797]

I had the unparallel pleasure of training my H1B replacement at Motorola before my lay-off. We actually became friends. He told me the stories about his time at Teiniman Square as he was one of the protesters. He was a nice guy and it was NOT HIS fault that he was an H1B. I would have done the same in his shoes.

That being said ... it is immoral, unethical and UN-AMERICAN to replace American workers with cheap foreign labor especially on our home soil.

[nightdriver]

"With U.S. colleges graduating fewer U.S.-born engineers and the population of foreign-born science graduates mushrooming, TI has to look overseas for talent, spokesman Dan Larson said."

This is the attitude that frosts me more than anything else.

Engineers are out of work all over, not just IT types and programmers. Who can blame bright young college students for NOT majoring in engineering and computer science when all they have to look forward to is competition with those that work for $5/hr. or less?

[clamper1797]

those who've worked in the field know that these types of IT positions are usually held by those who couldn't cut it in a real, competitive or R&D environment

Excuse me ... it's not just "jelly bean" programmers that are being replaced by H1B's. I personally know at least several dozen cutting edge hardware design engineers ... some with advanced degrees who are out of work or were out for extended periods of time because of the H1B program ... including myself.