Post from Proud2Bliberal:
HR 4065: A Slap in the Face of American Workers
Bad? Brilliant?
You can rate this post.
Register or login now and
tell us what you think.
As 1 million American workers experience an extended mass layoff event, and as the resulting mortgage crisis continues, what steps does Congress take? A slap in the face of the American worker is being proposed, an *increase,* even a doubling in 2008, of the number of permitted H1-b visas in high technology industry. So far Congress is taking the bait, hook,line and sinker and believing the false claims of employers that they can't locate "talent" within the US. Here is the text stuck onto the end of the "Border Security" bill. (Will someone please explain how taking jobs away from laid off Americans will protect border security?) You can view a video of a law firm coaching employers on how to avoid hiring American workers. The link is at the end of this post. Please write to your Congressional Representative and ask him or her to oppose this dung heap of a clause:

SEC. 1402. INCREASE IN H-1B VISA NUMBERS.

(a) Increase- Section 214(g)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows:

`(A) under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b), may not exceed--

`(i) 65,000 in each fiscal year before fiscal year 1999;

`(ii) 115,000 in fiscal years 1999 and 2000;

`(iii) 195,000 in fiscal years 2001 through 2003;

`(iv) 65,000 in fiscal years 2004 through 2007; and

`(v) 130,000 in each succeeding fiscal year, except as provided in paragraph (7)(B); and'.

(b) Recapture of Unused H-1B Nonimmigrant Visas- Section 214(g)(7) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(7)) is amended--

(1) by striking `(7)' and inserting `(7)(A)'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(B) Beginning in fiscal year 2009, the number of aliens who may be issued visas or otherwise provided nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) during any fiscal year shall be increased by the difference between 130,000 and the number of aliens who actually were provided such status during the preceding fiscal year. The preceding sentence shall not cause the number of aliens who may be issued visas or otherwise provided nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) during any fiscal year to exceed 195,000, but any recaptured unused numbers that are not available by reason of this limitation during any fiscal year shall be available for use in future years.'.

***If this hasn't angered you enough, watch
Link
and view the video of the law firm Cohen & Grigsby.
THOMAS Home | Contact | Accessibility | Legal | USA.gov

Reader Comments
  
Unions
By marsha Nov 12th 2007 at 4:22 pm EST
Unions, Unions. Organize, organize, organize.
This is just a means to get cheap labor and the only remedy is the organization of workers. Our grandparents did it for us and we let the companies take it away without a fight. Now we have to do it again for our children.
The collective "WE" needs to come back into the vocabulary of the american worker.
Re: Unions
By Percy H Florez Nov 12th 2007 at 4:54 pm EST
Oh well I grues and it is my humble opinion UNIONS it is not the solution. Not in this century.

Probably they help good long time ago but their time is gone.

If America do not go aggressively to compete in the world market and have more strong position in his own circle of action like this continent. soon rather than later you or we are going to see the worst in economy.

Did you think protectionism is the solution, take a 260 dollar ticket to Europe and tech yourself about global market. and please be sure have enough EURO to pay and give tips.

Percy H Florez
Re: Unions
By marsha Nov 12th 2007 at 6:20 pm EST
The organization of workers brought most of the things we all enjoy. Minimun wage, safer working conditions, health benefits, overtime, 40 hr. week, Holidays off. None of these things would have happened without workers fighting, striking and sometimes dying for them. The idea that any skilled group need not be organized is silly. Teachers, Nurses, Police and Firemen are. Politicians are, their benefits are great.
I have nothing against people moving here from other countries but we are losing skilled jobs and bringing in that many people drops wages. That is exactly the reason it is happening. That bill is great news for business and bad for workers.
Unions are good for any century and if the common working people of this country would realize the collective power they have, "WE" would all be better off.
Please watch "SICKO".
  
H1-b
By Arius Nov 12th 2007 at 5:22 pm EST
The H1-b is hardly a threat to Union labor. I was in the technology industry, and the H1 never bothered me.
Re: H1-b
By Davidual Nov 12th 2007 at 6:58 pm EST
So. You "were in the technology industry"? Now you're out of the technology industry? Is it that you made your heap and now are looking to enjoy the benefits of your labor? I cannot blame you there!!
That naturally is the final piece of the American dream puzzle, but then again why would you be in favor of others in your former industry not having the same opportunity to prosper as well as you seemingly did?

I think instead of finding more ways to water down the work force to limit opportunity maybe it is time that employers began taking part in training the workforce they need from the people they already have. I can understand your concern, if you're now retired and enjoying your riches, that you need the most benefit from the cost of your future technology purchases. However, come on, we're talking people's lives here. Have a heart. Remember yours when your were starting out?
  
The need to compete for "talent" is a myth
By proud2Bliberal Nov 13th 2007 at 11:23 am EST
People cite a need for the US to "compete" as a reason for increasing the H1-bs in high technology are completely missing the point. The point is that the US is educating plenty of its own talent, but is refusing to offering equal opportunity to hire and promote the female half of it. We have all read about the excellent achievements of girls in the schools. But after they graduate with all of this education and schievement in science and engineering, women are excluded. Also, African Americans are still excluded from many compsnies even after getting an education. What kind of "talent" does it require to write database programs or radio system software that a person from another country has that Americans don't have. Come on, we are graduating engineers from large schools like M.T.T., Berkeley, Univ. of Texas, Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, etc. I can see competing for "talent" when it comes to finding the best senior professor in the world in some field of research, but the US has many qualified people for its normal engineering functions. This H-1b increase is another way to get around the discrimination laws and import young males to avoid giving opportunities to women, African Americans and older workers.
  
Unions
By proud2Bliberal Nov 13th 2007 at 11:27 am EST
Unions are excellent when they do something. But in some companies the unions are so lazy that a person can call and never get a call back from the steward. Some unions sit by and do nothing even when something happens that employees oppose. Sometimes unions will do nothing even when the employers circumvent the collective bargaining agreement and crete non-union jobs. I agree with the need for strong labor unions, but the word "strong" is part of that. A union that does nothing as bad as no union at all. Perhaps peoeple should have to evaluate, fir the national union leadership, the quality of the representation they are getting from their local unions.
Re: Unions
By marsha Nov 13th 2007 at 5:51 pm EST
You are sooo right. That is exactly what I meant when I said "We" allowed it all to be taken away. My grandfather would roll over in his grave if he knew what had happened to the union he worked for. But "we" , all of us, in many areas of the workplace market, need to organize. It is the only way to compete with big money.
Then, "WE" vote in mass.