Senator to Microsoft: You Keeping Americans?

[exfileme]

A suspicious U.S. Senator is asking Microsoft just exactly how it plans to cut those 5,000 jobs, fearing that the software mammoth prefers foreign workers over Americans.

Senator to Microsoft: You Keeping Americans? : Read more

 

[cheepstuff]

"In some ways, the Senator seems a little suspicious of Microsoft, almost passively accusing the company of discriminatory layoffs"

yup, its discrimination to fire us well paid, well refined Americans... HEY i don't care if you guys across the pond are willing to work more for lower wages. we're just that special.

 

[cheepstuff]

that senator needs a new job...

 

[jhansonxi]

So what exactly is an "American"? Native Americans (Columbus's Indians)? Native born? Green card? American-based outsourcing firms sending jobs to foreigners?

If the senator has a problem with the loss of American jobs he should come up with a solution to limit foreign outsourcing in general, not complain about individual companies.

 

[tayb]

Yes. Microsoft IS being discriminatory. They are discriminating against those who have higher salaries but don't pull their weight.

 

[SirCrono]

Microsoft has a moral obligation to increase profit, nothing less and nothing more, in any other case it would be screwing the investors over

 

[timaahhh]

[citation][nom]tayb[/nom]Yes. Microsoft IS being discriminatory. They are discriminating against those who have higher salaries but don't pull their weight.[/citation]

Rolf. I was kinda upset they are killing the Ace team that make Flight Sim they deserve to keep their jobs, Flight Sim is a great franchise.

 

[Tekkamanraiden]

Well they already axed the Ensemble Studio guys.

 

[seboj]

Microsoft has a moral obligation to protect these American workers by putting them first during these difficult economic times."

Moral obligation? This is BUSINESS senator. Wake up.

 

[Tindytim]

This is why we need to force companies to pay immigrants the same wages. Then we'd know if American's were being fired because they're American, or because they don't pull their weight.

 

[cruiseoveride]

You layoff people to reduce expenditure. Whoever gets paid more and does less goes, no matter the nationality.

 

[dyingcat]

Im surprised most of the comments are actually pointed against him.
If I were a US citizen, I'd probably side with this senator dude..u know...gotta put food on the table (and plazmas in the living room )

 

[NuclearShadow]

I feel sorry for anyone who gets laid off no matter what nationality they are. Its a shame that people have to lose their jobs in these already hard times.

 

[fuser]

"Plazmas"? No, now we need LED backlit LCDs

 

[Tindytim]

[citation][nom]dyingcat[/nom]Im surprised most of the comments are actually pointed against him.If I were a US citizen, I'd probably side with this senator dude..u know...gotta put food on the table (and plazmas in the living room )[/citation]
I do want to do that.

But treating immigrants like lesser people, and forcing them to lower pay grades ensures that when cuts have to be made, they aren't going to be the ones cut. If you force employers to pay everyone the same regardless of their residential status, then cuts will be made regardless of it.

And if an American isn't will to work hard to keep their job, they don't deserve it.

 

[Ronrico]

Another lost republican senator playing the populist and working for the wrong party. Sure, force them to keep the more expensive American workers, become more inefficient, and in turn hurt the company and the economy even more. But hey, at least this senator will appear "compassionate", which apparently trumps logic and good sense these days.

 

[Darkk]

I do not understand why the senator have ANY business with Microsoft's business decisions about layoffs. It's purely an internal business matter. If Microsoft decides to lay off some American workers it'll be bad PR but that's their business decision.

We linux community can use some good developers!

 

[pondscum]

I think the senator has a valid point. America is a melting pot and always has been. Hopefully, it always will be. The question is whether microsoft is trying to take advantage of the worker program to do the equivalent of sending jobs overseas. Don't fire someone who's doing a perfectly good job and has done so the length of their employment just to bring in a guest worker to fill the void. This is business taking advantage of workers. What happens when one of those guest workers gets their residency or citizenship for that matter? Will microsoft dump them to make room for another guest?

 

[cletus_slackjawd]

I won't be happy until all the wealth is concentrated to the 1% of the population, and we are all one big corporate/world government with low wages/rights for the masses. Companies are going to take every advantage they can to make a few extra bucks. Someday, you'll find you have no choice but to work like a peasant. The reason why we have so many immigrants coming here is their wages/rights are comparatively low from their home country. If what you want is for all jobs in this country to go to people who are more desperate and less fortunate, we'll be those people eventually and the corporations will love paying you peanuts while they grow rich.

 

[Christopher1]

[citation][nom]SirCrono[/nom]Microsoft has a moral obligation to increase profit, nothing less and nothing more, in any other case it would be screwing the investors over[/citation]

Wrong. The fact is that companies ALSO have a moral imperative to support the countries that they are in by keeping as many jobs as they can in the country where they are based.
That means that Microsoft should keep as many jobs as possible IN THE UNITED STATES, instead of outsourcing them around the world.