Skip to comments.
IT Sweatshops Breaking Indians
Wired News ^
| July 11, 2003
| Manu Joseph
Posted on 07/12/2003 7:53:02 PM PDT by John Jorsett
Edited on 06/29/2004 7:09:57 PM PDT by Jim Robinson.
[history]
MUMBAI, India -- Outsourcing tech jobs to India has caused turmoil for workers in the United States and Europe. But it seems it's causing turmoil for Indians, as well.
An estimated 50,000 young English-speaking Indians who work in call centers here are exposed to a host of health problems. They are usually in their early 20s, just out of college and up all night answering tech calls.
(Excerpt) Read more at wired.com ...
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: india; outsourcing; tele
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40 next last
To: John Jorsett
Yes my dear Indian girls. Watch standing in the Navy was so much fun too!! We worked a 2 2 2 then 80 off.
To: John Jorsett
Two call center workers have suffered miscarriages ........Reboot
suffers from constipation and acid stomach
........Reboot
sore throats
........Reboot
To: All
GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
|
|
Keep Our Republic Free
Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
or you can use
PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
|
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER It's on the Breaking News Sidebar |
4
posted on
07/12/2003 7:58:21 PM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
(Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
To: John Jorsett
pssst -
If you call Dell tech support, you have a 75% chance of talking to someone in Bangalore, or in New Dehli.
Don't tell anybody - it's supposed to be a secret.
Why, I just talked to Danny the other day in Bangalore... or maybe his name was Dharmesh.... I dunno.
5
posted on
07/12/2003 7:59:08 PM PDT
by
PokeyJoe
(What if the big black rock in Mecca is a piece of coal? If we nuke it, will it glow? Let's see it!)
To: John Jorsett
I've heard that the health industry has tried outsourcing transcription work to India and that the results have been less that satisfactory.
To: John Jorsett
As an American support engineer, this just breaks my heart.
7
posted on
07/12/2003 8:06:32 PM PDT
by
WayneM
To: oceanview
Thought you might like this one.
8
posted on
07/12/2003 8:07:40 PM PDT
by
riri
To: John Jorsett
a host of health problems including digestive diseases, hair loss, back pain and stress.Welcome to my life, Haji, now answer the phone.
9
posted on
07/12/2003 8:09:05 PM PDT
by
Petronski
(I'm not always cranky.)
To: PokeyJoe
Try asking about their day or childhood, see if they make up a story.
10
posted on
07/12/2003 8:09:43 PM PDT
by
lelio
To: John Jorsett
After the Indians get union representation, the destruction of their IT industry might just bring the jobs back to America.
11
posted on
07/12/2003 8:13:43 PM PDT
by
Pukin Dog
(Sans Reproache)
To: Willie Green
This will break your heart!
12
posted on
07/12/2003 8:14:54 PM PDT
by
nwrep
To: riri
The next time I call Dell, maybe I'll try and hipnotize one of them: "you are getting sleepy, your eyelids are heavy". Or better yet, I will start talking with an Indian accent to throw them off. Like Babu from Seinfeld: "this is a very bad PC, a very bad PC".
To: Enterprise
You have heard correct. Initially it was being done to save money - as obviously, Indian MTs can survive on a heck of a lot less than American MTs. But what has happened over the years is that the quality of work being produced out of India is less than satisfactory, hence needing American editors, which ultimately raises the cost of the transcription per line - eliminating the initial benefit. The quality of the work that comes out of India is horrid. They can't do it without help from American MTs.
There are some success stories -- there are a few Indian medical transcription companies that have managed to do well with associations with MT companies here in the US. The Indian government recently decided to keep medical transcription a nontaxable industry - which motivates Indian MT companies even more than before. Unlike the IT industry, however, MTs in the US are not losing their jobs to Indian MTs - yet. They don't help because they can and do come in and undercut US services, thusly keeping American MTs pay at the same rate it has been for years and years (can't blame all of that on overseas transcription) BUT - your medical records, along with your SS#, and other pertinent information could be going overseas - and unless they're being edited by American MTs -- there are probably a multitude of mistakes/errors in your medical records. The new HIPAA laws will not be able to enforced in India either.
To: John Jorsett
....says he suffers from constipation and acid stomach. In the past eight months he has put on 29 pounds, he said. Wow! He is constipated! I would hate to be around when that breaks loose.
15
posted on
07/12/2003 8:21:07 PM PDT
by
Mind-numbed Robot
(Not all things that need to be done need to be done by the government.)
To: John Jorsett
Proof that this is really from The Onion:
Some even claim assuming a foreign accent for long periods causes sore throats.
Perhaps there is a shortage of TeleLawyers advertising on Indian television when they drag themselves home after their shift in the CallCenterSaltMines...
16
posted on
07/12/2003 8:22:22 PM PDT
by
Prov1322
(Have you thanked God again today that George W. Bush is our President?!)
To: right-sidedNYer
Americans should be deeply worried about the release of sensitive information to overseas companies. I agree, HIPPA will be useless here. As usual they will jump on violators with both feet in America where horror stories overseas will go uninvestigated.
To: right-sidedNYer
But what has happened over the years is that the quality of work being produced out of India is less than satisfactory, hence needing American editors But that is pretty much always the case with outsourcing, foreign subs, etc. It takes a boatload of Expen$ive American ex pat's to babysit. Furnished houses, expense accounts, home leaves, fuel reimbursements, perks, etc.--
18
posted on
07/12/2003 8:24:57 PM PDT
by
riri
To: right-sidedNYer
The Indian government recently decided to keep medical transcription a nontaxable industry
Sounds like the US should do the same for here, and tax foreign work.
your medical records, along with your SS#, and other pertinent information could be going overseas
How long till someone realizes that offering a person $500 to a person that makes $5k a year is enough of an incentive to give them any information that comes across their desk? I'm waiting to see some CDs printed with everyone's SSN from their records being sent to India.
19
posted on
07/12/2003 8:30:16 PM PDT
by
lelio
To: riri
More than that, riri. They do do all you stated, and to boot, they have Americans right here in the good old USofA proofing and editing work that's sent via FTP, e-mail, etc. It just kills me - because these editors are not paid a heck of a lot - and if they really wanted to edit work there are a bunch of American MTs that surely could use the work and someone taking the time to pour through every darn word they transcribe. NO amount of money - NONE - could get me to do either. I'm not for sale - not if it means putting other Americans out of work.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson