Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Foreigners imported to work on city contracts

From the NY Post:

While the city vows to save and create jobs for recession-ravaged New Yorkers, one of its biggest contractors is importing techies from India, instead of hiring local computer nerds.

IBM won a $1.9 million contract with the Department of Finance to analyze its old main databases so they can be improved, but the company has transported "consultants" from Mumbai and other parts of India to do most of the work.

At least 17 employees hired by an IBM subsidiary in India have worked in New York since October, inspecting the city's computer systems, which hold property and other tax records, insiders said.

"It was a dream come true," said Sunny Amin, 25, who traveled from his Mumbai home to the Big Apple -- his first US visit.

It could not be learned whether IBM pays its Mumbai recruits the same rates, though watchdogs say US firms hire thousands of workers from India because they come cheap. IBM did not return calls.

But Amin's fortune means US citizens get shut out of well-paying jobs, critics charge.

"It's like a slap in the face," said Robert Ajaye, president of Local 2627, a union of city-employed computer specialists. "We have people in house who could do this job."

Instead, he said, some city staffers have had to "translate" for Indian techies lacking English skills.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well thats great for IBM's bottom dollar dont you think? More money for the top manager's and CEO's. IBM also cut 13,000 jobs in the U.S. and Europe in 2005 and moved some of those jobs to India.

Wash Tec out of D.C. has been watching IBM's grab for cheap labor and wants U.S. workers skilled for these jobs unionized, keeping the jobs here.

Anonymous said...

The contractor hired to re-build the World Trade Center is corporation based in Canada. They might be hiring union workers from NYC but all the profit is going back to Canada. (See previous article on Workers drinking on job sites)

Lino said...

The real danger here is in the screening, or lack thereof for these employees.

Already it has been determined that foreigners have successfully planted malware into critical computer systems that control the Nation's power grid and air-traffic control.

Most of these attacks come from abroad but, even closed systems (not internet connected)are vulnerable if the wrong people have access.

Capitalism eating it's own.

Anonymous said...

Typical. Where's the doorman on this one?

Anonymous said...

I recently made a phone call to inquire about a bill I'd received regarding an overcharge.

After a "Ms. Kenitia (?)" couldn't help me...it sounded like she couldn't help herself eat her own lunch...I asked to speak to a supervisor.

I was quickly transferred to India and the problem was immediately resolved.

Hey...I'd rather be outsourced any day rather than have to deal with some token local yokel who's holding her job merely out of the "political correctness" of her employer rather than her qualifications.

Wade Nichols said...

"It was a dream come true," said Sunny Amin, 25, who traveled from his Mumbai home to the Big Apple -- his first US visit.

The Post left out the rest of Mr. Amin's comments:

"It was a dream come true, I'm finally leaving this stinking, sweltering hell hole of India. I'm eventually going to overstay my visa, bring my mother and father over to America, along with my brothers and sisters. First thing when my parents get here, I enroll them in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Food Stamps, every single government entitlement program. After all, I'm a minority, and I'm entitled to this money from you Farangis. When my parents come over, they'll eventually set me up in an arranged marriage with another high caste Indian, and I'll bring her and her family over to America as well. I'll then enroll her family in government entitlement programs, and bleed you Farangis even more! America - What a country!!!

Mike B said...

What's the problem here? I promised to bring more jobs to NYC!

-Joe said...

North Shore/LIJ Hospital has been doing this for years. They even been buy housing for the slaves.
These people from Bangladesh come over with whole families and live like slobs.

They do voodoo throwing goat heads, scarves and garbage into Manhasset Bay and Lakeville pond.

Anonymous said...

Wade Nichols, what do you know about "high caste Indians"? Clearly nothing about their pride.

Taxpayer said...

Count on this: IBM is paying the imports more than what they earn at home, but far less than the prevailing rates here.

IBM holds the imports hostage on the visa. If the import complains about anything, the visa evaporates and the import is exported (we like to call it deported).

Anonymous # 1 has it exactly right.

Where's Commissar Death and Taxes, the Titan of Commerce, the Financial Genius on this refusal to employ fully qualified citizens whose tax dollars are being used to keep the imports working cheap to drive down the salaries of the citizen taxpayer?

He allowed this to happen, so he is fully in support of it.

Anonymous said...

If they need to locate any American Born Computer scientists, they should call the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) located on Hoes Lane in Piscatway, New Jersey.

There they will find men and women who have been educated in the finest American universities and who have no desire to commit industrial espionage against this nation, foment the next 911 or merely take their brains and earnings back to India on the next flight out to build that Country instead of their American benefactor.

Why should we knock the foreigners when American management are the real traitors?

Remember Lenin, "The capitalists will sell us the rope we use to hang them."

Snake Plissskin said...

Wade Nichols, what do you know about "high caste Indians"? Clearly nothing about their pride.

-------

Pride has nothing to do with it.

They are smart and will take advantage of something our two bit crooks that value party loyalty over common sense gives them on a silver platter.

Wade hit the nail on the head.

A silver dollar for the boy in the balcony.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever been to Congressman Crowley's Jackson Heights office??
The area looks like downtown Mumbai.

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