Save our jobs.

Tue Feb 26 11:12:09 PST 2002

This is a totally inappropriate posting for this mail list and the person
who posted this and didn't have the courage of his convictions to even
properly identify himself should know better.

I am offended by this typical prejudice reaction to a program which has
been essential to the growth of the American high tech economy and which
probably helped provide the anonymous Joe BSD with his job in the first
place.

Brian Keves
(American Worker who can stand on his own feet.)
keves at bluefeet.com
--
joe bsd wrote:

> 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
>
>
> Recommended reading:
>
> http://www.zazona.com/ShameH1B/
>
> __________________________________________________
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