[ale] [Fwd: Re: [ale] chance to talk with Johnny Isakson('s staff)]

[Jeff Hubbs]

Whoops, forgot to reply all...

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To: Benjamin Scherrey <scherrey at proteus-tech.com>
Subject: Re: [ale] chance to talk with Johnny Isakson('s staff)
From: Jeff Hubbs <hbbs at attbi.com>
To: ale at ale.org
Date: 11 Nov 2002 16:51:05 -0500
In-Reply-To: <IH98KGVT723XXRA905E513X87WVSM5Y.3dcfd3f5 at BONZO>
References: <IH98KGVT723XXRA905E513X87WVSM5Y.3dcfd3f5 at BONZO>

Benjamin -

I can't imagine how you could have possibly arrived at this conclusion. 
Your "indentured servitude" issue is valid but as an IT worker (still
unemployed, BTW) who was himself displaced by H-1Bs in a company that
specialized in farming H=1Bs out to work in US companies, I take strong
issue with your "bunk" statement.  Companies such as that one are
certifying to the Government with each visa application that they cannot
obtain Americans who can code up Web sites in Win2K/IIS/ASP/SQL Server. 
Oh, really??  Har, har, tell me another one!!

What is happening is that companies are parenthetically inserting "...at
sub-market rates" with a wink and a nod when they make those
certifications, and the INS is letting them get away with it.  Add that
to the "chattel factor" of having so many vo-tech grads on the street
looking to do exactly the same thing, and you've got depressed wages. 
Might as well work in a factory - if you can find one.  

If someone decided that all of Metro Atlanta's H-1Bs were to pack up and
go, Americans could easily fill those jobs, but I doubt that many would
want to at the same pay rate.  But, then again, if enough people figure
that that is better than nothing, then it only reinforces IT jobs as
being deserving of low pay.  

Personally, I have no expectation at all that I can get hired at
anywhere near the same amount of money I was making, at least not in the
private sector, and it's not as though I worked in some starry-eyed
dot-com or telecom outfit.

But anyway, back to the point, there are IT companies in town whose
business plan is based on their ability to provide software development
at sub-market costs by using H-1Bs.  If this keeps up, the day will come
when you *can't* get software written for hire by Americans anymore
because American programmers will have left the field for other,
better-paying jobs that afford more autonomy and fewer PHBs.  

- Jeff


On Mon, 2002-11-11 at 10:59, Benjamin Scherrey wrote:
> 11/11/2002 12:39:52 AM, Jeff Hubbs <hbbs at attbi.com> wrote:
> >Show him or his lackey this: 
> >http://www.vote-smart.org/vote-smart/profile.phtml?ID=BGA10376&dtype=I&state=GA&style=
> >This site says that he has repeatedly refused to respond to the National
> >Political Awareness Test.  Press him on immigration question D: 
> >"Increase the immigration quota for computer scientists and other
> >information technology workers."  Look at http://www.h1b.info/ first. 
> >Tell him that American IT workers are being displaced by H-1Bs right
> >here in Atlanta and suggest that the companies that are doing it need to
> >be investigated with respect to compliance with the law.  Further, ask
> >for a position on HR 3222 (see
> >http://www.optimizemag.com/issue/004/pr_squareoff_no.fhtml).  
> 
> Sorry but this is just bunk. H1B workers haven't taken a single net job away from American workers.  
> Of course there are serious problems with the system which ammounts to a form of indentured 
> servitude for the H1B visa holder - and we should simply allow people from outside the US to come 
> into the US and be employed (or start businesses and employ others) at will. You'd immediately see 
> the "problem" H1 holders quit their underpaid positions (more often than not exploi... er employed by 
> fellow forign natitionals who know how to work the system) since they have freedom of movement 
> and don't have to worry about getting kicked out of the country at their employer's will.
> 
> 	Ben Scherrey
> 
> 
> 
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