Save our jobs.

Mon Feb 25 23:13:46 PST 2002

Save our high tech jobs

I’m writing this letter to the American engineers and IT workers who
might be adversely affected by the H1-B visa laws.  If you don’t know
what I’m talking about, look here:

http://www.zazona.com/ShameH1B/FAQs.htm#WhatisH-1B?

Our jobs have been put on the world auction block.  The H1-B visa has
facilitated this.  If you read the H1-B visa laws, you will see that
these were written with absolutely no regard for the American IT
worker or engineer.  It’s as if they were written by corporate
lawyers for corporations –not “by the people for the people”.   

http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/Title_20/Part_655/Subpart_H.htm

If I were an employer whose only interest was to maximize my profit,
I would love to have an endless supply of skilled foreign workers. 
This way, if my current employees were costing me too much, I could
just get some new ones.  Then I’ll lay off my costly employees.  It
doesn’t matter that they are American Citizens.  It’s not my concern
if they can’t feed their families.  I don’t care if they paid taxes
to the US Government all their lives.  I don’t care if they put they
put their lives on the line to defend our nation.  All I know, is I
got this new guy from some far away nation who will work for $10,000
less.  That’s the bottom line.

So to my American worker I say: “Your job has been eliminated”.  You
can collect $230 a week in unemployment.  It’s really not my concern
if your rent is $1300.  Maybe you can live in South Dakota with $230
a week.  And one more thing…  I’ll give you some money if you sign
this release waiver.  It basically says, “I’ll sell my Civil Rights
for cash”.   Would you please sign it before you go?   We don’t want
you to sue us if you finally realize how badly we screwed you…. 

Unfortunately I’m not the employer in this scenario.  I’m the guy
trying to feed his family in the Silicon Valley with $230 a week.  I
hope by now you are asking yourself, “Can they really do that to an
American worker?”  Is that really legal?  

You bet it is.  I’ve talked to people in the US Department of Labor
and   they assured me, “Yes, you are screwed”. (Not in those exact
words)  There is very little in the H1-B visa laws that prevents an
employer from replacing you with a foreign worker.  In some rare
cases the law might protect your job.  But, I’ve never heard of this
happening.  People at the DOL can only enforce the laws that we have.
 The H1-B visa issue will no appear on a California ballot
referendum.  It’s up to us to make sure the folks in DC pass laws to
protect OUR interests.

How could they pass laws that hurt us like that?  I thought they only
passed laws that protect us.  Well, who do you think has more
influence in Washington? –Corporations like Sun Microsystems or a
group of American workers without a union.  Do you now see why there
is no protection for American workers built in to the H1-B laws?  We
let it happen.  

Remember, this is a nation of immigrants.  We can’t blame people for
wanting to come to this country.  I’m sure countless millions more
would come if they had the chance.  If the laws allowed, I bet we
could replace all American workers with foreign workers.  Issue the
visas and they will come.  They can’t pass laws to replace all of us.
 But, they can pass laws that will displace hundreds of thousands of
high tech workers who don’t complain.  The problem is in the laws,
not with the people taking the jobs.  

It is not my intent to start a flame war on this mailing list.  I
have neither the time nor desire for a debate.  I am only concerned
with the welfare of American workers.  My intent is to gather others
who wish to protect the jobs of Americans.  I know there are others
who agree with me.  If you are one of them, send me an email.  I’ll
contact you to discuss what we can do to defend our jobs.  Please
don't respond to the list, as this topic might not be appropriate.

 Sincerely,

                Joe