US tech sector job cuts highest since 2005

[ChromeFoundry]

Source: Economic Times of India

19 Jan 2010, 2217 hrs IST, AGENCIES

WASHINGTON: The number of job cuts in the US technology sector rose for the second year in a row last year hitting the highest level since 2005, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Chicago-based consultancy firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. said, however, that a sharp downward trend in the number of job cuts in the second half of the year offers hope of a turnaround in 2010.

Challenger said the technology sector, which includes computer, electronics, and telecommunications firms, announced 174,629 planned job cuts last year.

The 2009 total was 12.3 percent higher than the 155,570 job cuts announced in 2008, it said, and the most since 2005, when tech sector employers announced 174,744 job cuts.



Read more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5477988.cms

[OhioChick]

1. Now, tell me again why we need H-1B's? n/t

[thunder rising]

3. Obviously we tech guys have all moved on to become Wall St. bankers and rolling in bucks.

So we don't want those jobs anymore. Didn't you get the memo?

[Missy Vixen]

4. But-but-but we're oppressing people of other countries

who have every right to come here and make a living! It doesn't matter that they're taking jobs away from American citizens, or that American citizens are being asked to leave places like India.

Won't you think of the poor visa holders?

:sarcasm:

[OhioChick]

5. You have a point there....

The hell with my neighbor that was replaced and eventually lost his home. Let's open the floodgates for H-1B's.

:sarcasm:

[pattmarty]

6. When I saw the headline that's exactly what went through my mind.

[thunder rising]

2. But 65,000 H1-B visas were let because not enough Americans to fill the positions.

That and the Americans simply demand to live one or one family to the apartment or house. Well that and that pay thing.

[pattmarty]

7. Jeez, complainers. Tell me exactly what's wrong with us looking...............

.............just like Mexico? And, it's a lot more efficient when you have 3 or 4 families in a 400 sq ft apartment.

[thunder rising]

10. Yeah, it's sort of like getting a catheter. Just give me a minute to get used to the idea.

But, I'm evolving. I see they now sell "Shelter Boxes". I think I see one in my future.

[pattmarty]

12. What companies are selling those? How's the stock doing?..............

........I think I see an "investment opportunity" here along with my healthcare stocks.:sarcasm:

[superconnected]

8. I noticed this as I'm in the tech industry. Every job I take is training H1B's and H1L's to take

over the jobs and the Americans that were doing the jobs get laid off. It used to be you could sue a company for keeping a job open and giving it to someone else, if you got laid you off. Apparently that's legal now. Or maybe it is because foreigners are taking the jobs. I don't know. What I do know is, it's happening again this month at my work place.

[Alias Dictus Tyrant]

9. Congress hasn't been very helpful on many levels

For all the talk about economic stimulus, billions of Congressional dollars in conventional tech R&D funding from 2009 *still* has not been released now in 2010. Many people that were tasked to government funded research are effectively unemployed because the money never showed up. I work in a research intensive technology area, and this has been affecting a lot of companies and people. My own company had to suspend hiring plans because of this. Congress apparently has bigger fish to fry.

Congress is not serious about helping the economy. They can give hundreds of billions of dollars to bankers on a whim but can't see it fit to deliver much smaller funding promises from last year to the technology sector for research and development that directly impacts American competitiveness and which would create good, high-value jobs.

[ChromeFoundry]

14. I Agree

Congress is only serious about helping the companies that offer the biggest wads of lobbyist cash.

[MindPilot]

11. Funny we should be reading about this in an India newspaper.

In other news, the City of San Diego announced yesterday that it will be outsourcing/offshoring its IT functions putting another few dozen Americans out of work.

"San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders touted job creation as one of his top priorities this week in his State of the City speech. He didn’t mention some of those jobs would be in India.

The city’s first foray into outsourcing — if approved next month by the City Council — would switch some of its computer support from Clairemont to India."



http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/16/first-outsourcing-move-has-foreign-flavor/

[OhioChick]

13. I read that yesterday....sickening. n/t