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01-24-2009, 08:50 PM #1
Senator Grassley asks Microsoft to axe foreign workers first
US senator asks Microsoft to axe foreign workers first
Posted: 24 January 2009 0622 hrs
WASHINGTON - A US senator has asked Microsoft to axe temporary foreign workers first under the US software giant's plan to slash up to 5,000 jobs amid a global economic slowdown.
"I am concerned that Microsoft will be retaining foreign guest workers rather than similarly qualified American employees when it implements its layoff plan," Republican Senator Charles Grassley said in a letter Friday to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.
"As you know, I want to make sure employers recruit qualified American workers first before hiring foreign guest workers," he said.
Microsoft employs thousands of foreigners through an H-1B visa programme that allows American companies and universities to employ them temporarily.
"The purpose of the H-1B programme is to help companies hire foreign guest workers on a temporary basis when there is not a sufficient qualified American workforce to meet those needs," Grassley said.
"However, the programme is not intended to replace qualified American workers," he said.
At present, the United States imposes a general quota of 65,000 H-1B visas annually, many of them issued to those from India, China and the Philippines.
"My point is that during a layoff, companies should not be retaining H-1B or other work visa programme employees over qualified American workers," Grassley said. "Our immigration policy is not intended to harm the American workforce."
He asked Ballmer to provide details of the jobs that were being eliminated.
Microsoft on Thursday reported that its net profit fell by 11 percent in the quarter from a year ago and said it was eliminating up to 5,000 jobs over the next 18 months.
The job cuts will be in research and development, marketing, sales, finance, legal, human resources, and information technology, the Redmond, Washington-based company said.
Microsoft employs some 91,000 people and rumors of job cuts at the world's biggest software firm had been circulating for weeks.
- AFP /ls
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01-24-2009, 08:57 PM #2
Note the lack of concern about American workers from cheap-labor enthusiasts Microsoft and the attorney.
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Saturday, January 24, 2009 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Lawmaker asks Microsoft about keeping American workers
By Benjamin J. Romano
Seattle Times technology reporter
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has sent a letter to Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer expressing concern over how the company may go about its layoffs.
"I am concerned that Microsoft will be retaining foreign guest workers rather than similarly qualified American employees when it implements its layoff plan," Grassley said in the letter, posted to his Web site on Friday.
The company announced plans Thursday to cut a net 2,000 to 3,000 jobs over the next 18 months, its first companywide layoff. An initial wave of 1,400 job cuts were effective Friday.
The senator asked Ballmer for details on the jobs to be eliminated; how many are held by H-1B or other work-visa-program employees; how many are held by Americans and, of those positions, how many similar positions held by foreign guest workers are being retained; and how many H-1B or other work-visa-program workers Microsoft will retain when the layoff is complete.
"My point is that during a layoff, companies should not be retaining H-1B or other work-visa-program employees over qualified American workers," Grassley wrote.
"Our immigration policy is not intended to harm the American work force. ... Microsoft has a moral obligation to protect these American workers by putting them first during these difficult economic times."
In response to a query about Grassley's letter, Microsoft said the initial layoffs include foreigners working here on visas.
"The initial reductions we announced affect employees in a number of business units, and a significant number of the affected employees are foreign citizens working in this country on a visa," said company spokesman Lou Gellos. " ... For many of the employees here on a visa, being laid off means that they have to leave the country on very short notice, in many cases uprooting families and children."
Cletus Weber, co-founder and partner with Mercer Island-based immigration law firm Peng & Weber, said determining layoffs by nationality or immigration status could violate anti-discrimination laws.
"I know of no immigration law that would require Microsoft or any other U.S. company to lay off its lawfully employed foreign workers first," Weber wrote in an e-mail.
"To the contrary, I believe arbitrarily laying off lawfully employed foreign workers first would subject these companies to potential legal liability under federal anti-discrimination laws."
Grassley pointed out that Microsoft has lobbied Congress for an expansion of the H-1B program.
The program allows American employers and institutions to temporarily hire foreign guest workers with at least the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree in a job category considered a "specialty occupation."
In 2007, Microsoft said that about one-third of its 46,000 U.S.-based employees at the time had work visas or were legal permanent residents with green cards.
Benjamin J. Romano: 206-464- 2149 or bromano@ seattletimes.com
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01-24-2009, 09:02 PM #3
This represents so much progress for the American worker activists. Back in '00 when the first big wave of H-1Bs started coming in, right on the heels of the dot-com bust, it was surreal. Hundreds of thousands of Americans laid off, scrambling for work, any work. They raised the H-1B yearly cap to nearly 200K and left it there for three years. Nobody outside the affected workers seemed to be aware that anything odd was happening. Our screams went unheard for years. But some kept fighting, kept talking, and wouldn't give up. Slowly, representatives, the press, and society started becoming aware of the problem. Now awareness and outrage are widespread. I'm grateful for the leaders who didn't give up - a lesson for leaders of other causes.
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01-24-2009, 09:05 PM #4
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Dollars to donuts that Grassley will never receive an answer from Gates or Ballmer. The Senate will just award them with even more H1B visas since they and thst useless bought and paid for congress slobbered all over Gates when he begged for additional visas.
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01-24-2009, 09:13 PM #5
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And didn't Bushy recently sign an executive order not requiring employers to advertise for qualified American workers? My happiest moment watching the inauguration coverage was to see Bushy climb into the helicopter and get out of DC!
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01-24-2009, 09:22 PM #6
Why is the government "requesting" that this company lay off foreign workers? Why dont they just cancel all the work visas? We dont need foreign workers right now. We probably never did need them. Cancel the visas.
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01-24-2009, 09:44 PM #7Originally Posted by redpony353
Didn't he just get 1600 H1b visa people approved to come every month?
And this was just a month or two ago when our financial situation was not good then either.
Congress was mesmerized and drooling like an Obama cult member. SICKENING to watch.If Palestine puts down their guns, there will be peace.
If Israel puts down their guns there will be no more Israel.
Dick Morris
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01-24-2009, 10:19 PM #8"I am concerned that Microsoft will be retaining foreign guest workers rather than similarly qualified American employees when it implements its layoff plan," Republican Senator Charles Grassley said in a letter Friday to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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01-24-2009, 10:51 PM #9Originally Posted by vmonkey56If Palestine puts down their guns, there will be peace.
If Israel puts down their guns there will be no more Israel.
Dick Morris
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01-24-2009, 10:59 PM #10Originally Posted by WorriedAmericanJoin our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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