how the process took place that got you on the phone for IT help with someone who you could not understand ? This seems like a likely scenario...

"Information technology workers at Southern California Edison (SCE) are being laid off and replaced by workers from India. Some employees are training their H-1B visa holding replacements, and many have already lost their jobs."

"The IT organization's "transition effort" is expected to result in about 400 layoffs, with "another 100 or so employees leaving voluntarily," SCE said in a statement. The "transition," which began in August, will be completed by the end of March, the company said.

"They are bringing in people with a couple of years' experience to replace us and then we have to train them," said one longtime IT worker. "It's demoralizing and in a way I kind of felt betrayed by the company."

SCE, Southern California's largest utility, has confirmed the layoffs and the hiring of Infosys, based in Bangalore, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Mumbai. They are two of the largest users of H-1B visas.

The utility has a large IT department. In 2012, before any layoffs, it had about 1,800 employees, plus an additional 1,500 contract workers."


I know there are two sides to every story but this sure seems plausable to explain a lot.....

"Northeast Utilities in Connecticut last year made a similar decision to SCE's and brought in foreign contractors on visas. More than 200 U.S. IT workers lost their jobs."

Southern California Edison IT workers 'beyond furious' over H-1B replacements | Computerworld

Both referenced companies are utilities and the assumption is that these new folks will be used for customer service.

This from the same link on what H1-B replacements must bring to the table according to the government...

" the Labor Department states, "The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires that the hiring of a foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers comparably employed.

"The SCE case is clearly one where the hiring of the H-1B is adversely affecting the wages and working conditions of American workers," Hira said. "There isn't a clearer cut case of adverse impacts - the American worker is losing his job to an H-1B." Hira believes that the U.S. Secretary of Labor has the authority to investigate these cases."

Has anyone ever gone through this first hand ???

I retired from AT&T Network 12 years ago after 33 years of service. In the good old days people received the training they needed for the job and we never imagined there would be such a thing as outsourcing. Because my phone, internet and cable service is from AT&T, I have had the occasion to have contact with AT&T customer support to resolve problems with service.The people in India or the Philippines are only as knowledgeable as their flip charts. They speak English, they just don't understand it.
When I retired AT&T was in the consolidation phase of service centers in various regions. More workload less people. I was retired when the outsourcing occurred. Whoever made the final decision on what passes today for customer service really didn't care about the customer. The philosophy seems to be a body is a body in any job. It's better for shareholder value if the body gets paid $10 a day.
It's unfortunate that America's skilled workers are being displaced and the American consumer is paying the price.

Welcome to free enterprise and trying to improve profit margin in a worldwide economy! China is being undercut by Vietnam in manufacturing and the Daily Sun had a story about India being undercut by the Philippines in call centers. There is no longer an isolated national economy.

Originally Posted by Tennisnut

Welcome to free enterprise and trying to improve profit margin in a worldwide economy! China is being undercut by Vietnam in manufacturing and the Daily Sun had a story about India being undercut by the Philippines in call centers. There is no longer an isolated national economy.

I think Rags established that. What do you think we can do as voters to keep these kinds of jobs here in the U.S.?

Do you think giving our large corporations tax breaks would help?

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think Rags established that. What do you think we can do as voters to keep these kinds of jobs here in the U.S.?

Or do you have a view? Do you think giving our large corporations tax breaks would help? Do you worry about the future of U.S. business?

My view is that we need to forget the "politics" of this and those issues that are on the fringe of this issue. Not trying to be political, but the Simpson Bowles commission that the President put together when he took office, to me was a great idea. Forgetting whether I agree or disagree with their suggestions, we need bi partisan DISCUSSION of our economy and how it will merge or fit with the international scene.

As with all the issues facing us today, we need to recognize how international all of the issues facing us are. That does not stop with economics, but also with all foreign policy.

A complete tax overhaul from A to Z is needed, and done in such an environment that politics can be removed. How do you do that ? Not sure to be honest, but having a bi partisan committee meet as Simpson Bowles did...quietly, no media, no press releases, etc. until there is something to propose to congress.

We cannot continue to do things "piecemeal" in my opinion. I think much of what the President did concerning the economy when first elected was sterling, but turning aside the Simpson Bowles report and ignoring it was a big mistake.

To those who say that what happens across the globe is not our problem, I say look around...our world is so small now. It is the economy and all else that is tied together....we may not like it but it is true.

The old cliche about "throw them all out and start over" relative to our elected officials may not be possible, but boy I just do not know how we get rid of all the ingrained political ideas that interfere with any real growth in this country, and decide that not only does terrorism in other lands matter to us, but economics in those lands effect us. Just look at NAFTA...sounded good twenty some years ago, but it has not worked.

Now for years, the current administration has been bargaining on the Trans Pacific Partnership, and it appears that maybe both the administration and congress are on board on this. I suggest all read whatever they can about it.

The loss of workers in the case cited can be layed at the feet of NAFTA and also the lack of enforcement of existing laws to protect workers in this country.

Originally Posted by tcxr750

I retired from AT&T Network 12 years ago after 33 years of service. In the good old days people received the training they needed for the job and we never imagined there would be such a thing as outsourcing. Because my phone, internet and cable service is from AT&T, I have had the occasion to have contact with AT&T customer support to resolve problems with service.The people in India or the Philippines are only as knowledgeable as their flip charts. They speak English, they just don't understand it.
When I retired AT&T was in the consolidation phase of service centers in various regions. More workload less people. I was retired when the outsourcing occurred. Whoever made the final decision on what passes today for customer service really didn't care about the customer. The philosophy seems to be a body is a body in any job. It's better for shareholder value if the body gets paid $10 a day.
It's unfortunate that America's skilled workers are being displaced and the American consumer is paying the price.

What bothers me is the lack of enforcement of our existing law...or at least what appears to be the case.

And by the way, increasing the shareholder value of the stock USED to be a great idea and in some cases still is, but until we really allow a 'makeover" of our tax laws, etc and then ENFORCE THEM, we are working at a great disadvantage.

Originally Posted by Bucco

My view is that we need to forget the "politics" of this and those issues that are on the fringe of this issue. Not trying to be political, but the Simpson Bowles commission that the President put together when he took office, to me was a great idea. Forgetting whether I agree or disagree with their suggestions, we need bi partisan DISCUSSION of our economy and how it will merge or fit with the international scene.

As with all the issues facing us today, we need to recognize how international all of the issues facing us are. That does not stop with economics, but also with all foreign policy.

A complete tax overhaul from A to Z is needed, and done in such an environment that politics can be removed. How do you do that ? Not sure to be honest, but having a bi partisan committee meet as Simpson Bowles did...quietly, no media, no press releases, etc. until there is something to propose to congress.

We cannot continue to do things "piecemeal" in my opinion. I think much of what the President did concerning the economy when first elected was sterling, but turning aside the Simpson Bowles report and ignoring it was a big mistake.

To those who say that what happens across the globe is not our problem, I say look around...our world is so small now. It is the economy and all else that is tied together....we may not like it but it is true.

The old cliche about "throw them all out and start over" relative to our elected officials may not be possible, but boy I just do not know how we get rid of all the ingrained political ideas that interfere with any real growth in this country, and decide that not only does terrorism in other lands matter to us, but economics in those lands effect us. Just look at NAFTA...sounded good twenty some years ago, but it has not worked.

Now for years, the current administration has been bargaining on the Trans Pacific Partnership, and it appears that maybe both the administration and congress are on board on this. I suggest all read whatever they can about it.

The loss of workers in the case cited can be layed at the feet of NAFTA and also the lack of enforcement of existing laws to protect workers in this country.

This is big homework. I am very ignorant of what you speak. I had better bone up.

Fewer jobs in the USofA means fewer consumer dollars and lower tax revenue. I worked with someone who sold automotive parts globally. He commented on how he could lose a sale on just pennies per part USA versus China. Just think how China was transformed in our lifetimes from virtually a third world country to a Communist financial behemoth. This happened by cash and jobs flowing away from the US to China.
Now we are spreading the wealth to India. TATA anyone?

Asking admin if this could be moved to the new political forum.

Thanks