Re: [SLUG] Finding Jobs

From: Robert Foxworth (rfoxwor1@tampabay.rr.com)
Date: Fri Apr 25 2003 - 08:38:59 EDT


While this may get you 35 seconds on BayNews9 (sarcasm NOT intended here),
I suggest your attention be drawn to the H1-B visa program situation, which
is a
Federal issue, not a State matter. This was set up to allow companies to
import foreign workers (coincidentally, lower-paid) on the pretext that
there
are no US nationals available to fill those positions. I have seen H1-B
statutory postings at places like USF, where they may bring in a professor
who speaks Croatian or whatever to teach a course because they can't
find Croatian-speaking US nationals to teach that. This is a good thing.
It was a good thing 4 or 5 years ago in the IT field as well. However unlike
academia, there is a surplus of IT-skilled US nationals in the US out of
work
while H1-B imports continue. Of course big corporations are happy with
this model.

Back in January, on Techweb, there was a SpeakOut feature in which the
"IT czar" for the Bush (43, In Washington) Administration was quoted as
saying he did not care where the IT work was done (here or overseas)
as long as it got done. A man named Mike, can't recall his last name.
I think this is a real slap in the face to people here, done by our own
administration. Just more of this multinationalism which is oriented
to the bottom-line of big corporations.

When one does contract work in places such as KSA, UAE, Oman
(There is a lot of IT work in Asia) you are subject to a lot more controls.
They bring in contract workers because there is a true demonstrated lack
of nationals able to do this work in those places; despite this there are
aggressive programs in place such as "Omanisation" to get nationals
to the point that they can replace the foreigners doing skilled labor,
who in many cases now actually outnumber the nationals in population
terms. (One can make a lot of money on these contracts as expenses
are heavily subsizided and taxes practically disappear.)

I just don't believe that picketing Jeb Bush is an effective thing to do,
what is he going to do, tell Jabil to move back from Mexico?

Bob

> > > >P.S. Perhaps something unheard of. Why not a gathering of unemployed
> > > techs
> > > >I say a few thousand going out and showing Jeb we need things to
> > > change?
> > >
> > > >Just a thought.



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