Who Was Laid Off From Microsoft?

[OhioChick]

I have a friend that was approached by Microsoft a year ago for a job in Redmond, WA. After careful consideration between him and his wife, they decided to move hoping for a better opportunity for him, although she'd have to quit her job here. Bottom line was, they wanted what was best for their family. No 6-digit salary, just a stable job. His wife had hoped to find something in her field within a few months.

They left both their families behind and purchased a home there with their savings. His wife never found a job. (Not sure of her career) He called me last night and told me that he got laid off from Microsoft last week. He was very irate, as he was promised that they'd have work for him for the next few years, so he would have the job security that he was looking for.

We discussed his issues in depth and he said that the vast majority of pink slips were given to U.S. citizens and not to H-1B visa workers. He said that Microsoft had their lawyers all over this issue, given the publicity from Grassley.

See here:Senator questions, prods Microsoft on inclusion of H-1B workers in layoffs

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3704226

Also....Bush screwed the IT workers good and hard.

"The Bush administration labour department’s "Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2006-2011" explicitly stated that "H-1B workers may be hired even when a qualified US worker wants the job, and a US worker can be displaced from the job in favour of the foreign worker."

My friend is now in the process of writing to Dick Durbin(D) and Charles Grassley(R) to tell both of them what he experienced and witnessed at the software giant.

I feel for him, his wife and kids. He hopes to find something in the up-coming weeks, but since the economy is tanking, isn't very optimistic. Worse yet, they both really need their families in their moment of crisis and are stuck so far away.

[liberalhistorian]

1. If this is, indeed, true, and American workers

are being terminated instead of H1-B workers, who should be the very first to go, then WHAT. THE. FUCK. That's so infuriating that I don't even know where to begin.

[OhioChick]

2. Micro$oft already had their lawyers foaming at the mouth...

No legal obligation to keep U.S. workers over visa holders in layoff, says attorney

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3708129

Bet Micro$oft didn't get rid of their legal staff....

[liberalhistorian]

4. There may not have been a "legal" obligation, but there

sure is a moral and ethical and, yes, even a patriotic obligation. Companies who pull this shit need to feel some serious wrath in the form of both bad publicity and shunning of their business.

And I'm not gonna knock attorneys, although I agree that these legal eagles would likely feel differently if they were the ones being cut loose. Hubby's an attorney, I'm a paralegal, and we're both unemployed right now (although the market's a little better in our state than in many others).

[OhioChick]

7. I'm sorry to hear that both you and your husband are currently unemployed..

I hope the both of you find something soon. :hug:

[liberalhistorian]

13. Thanks. It could be a lot worse, though.

We could be living in Ohio, where I'm from and from where I moved to SD several years ago. Things are really, really bad there, much worse than SD, as I'm sure you already know. Every time I go back there, like this past holiday season, it looks worse and worse and is very sad.

[OhioChick]

14. You probably are in shock coming back here....

It gets worse by the day. :(

[Catshrink]

3. American workers are getting screwed at home and abroad.

At home, they lose their jobs to H-1B workers or their jobs are outsourced. Why don't American companies want to hire American workers? Why do American corporations hate America?

[liberalhistorian]

6. Because they don't give a shit about America, their first

and only concern is and always will be the bottom line, Period. Many have come right out and admitted it.

[OhioChick]

19. American Corps consider themselves to be multinational....

If that's the case, then let everyone else bail them the hell out.

[ihavenobias]

5. Just needs ONE more. n/t

[RC]

8. Ubuntu anyone?

OS X?

I think it is time to resurrect the break up of microshaft that the bu$h administration derailed.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Been using Ubuntu For Over A Year Now

On our "main" home computer. Works great! Only problem is that it doesn't run Quicken or iTunes. So, I still have Win XP in a virtual machine on that computer (using Virtualbox).

[SergeyDovlatov]

36. Axing 95,000 jobs is a swell idea in the recession. Is it?

[BadgerKid]

40. That may well be part of it

but PCs with Microsoft OSes are fairly common, with a smattering of Mac OS X, in K-12 education in my state.

From what I've seen of Ubuntu and Fedora linuxes, the average home user will be fine with linux. And there's always virtual machines and WINE if one needs to run Windows on top of linux.

[vssmith]

9. They have enough money to keep everybody working

[OhioChick]

15. I believe they were profitable last quarter, as well. n/t

[Azlady]

10. This is awful, far away from family & friends. told there was work

for several years. Was your friend given any form of a package? This crap has to end, I hope letters to Grassley & Durbin can help. A letter to the White House as well I think is in order. Please, let us know how your friend does with the job search.

[OhioChick]

17. A package?

Not many get any form of severance these days. You're just given a pink slip and shown to the door.

How's your job search going? I hope you find something soon.:hug:

[MannyGoldstein]

11. Anyone Not Smart Enough To Be Born Wealthy Deserves Whatever They Get.

:sarcasm:

[OhioChick]

16. Yep. We're all worthless peons.

:sarcasm:

[Dem_in_Nebr.]

23. Gives a whole new meaning to Trickle Down, doesn't it?

Pee-ons!

[OhioChick]

24. Damn....good way with words! n/t

[Missy Vixen]

18. K and friggin' R

It's time for those of us who live in Washington State to crawl all over Senators Murray and Cantwell re: this issue, too. I'd love to see President Obama cut off Microsoft's tax breaks. If they're taking their business offshore, they do not need tax breaks from our government!

[OhioChick]

22. If they're taking their business offshore....

Go look for the damn bailouts over there, as well!

[ecstatic]

20. Check Grassley's donations list. He did a shakedown on MS

as he did the pastors a couple years ago. He wasn't serious, just wanted to get his pockets lined with cash.

[OhioChick]

21. Grassley and Durbin have been on this issue for years....

Looks like blowback is coming for Grassley:

MS is now punishing Grassley's state by delaying plans for a data center in Iowa.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D95T3ADO0.htm

[ChromeFoundry]

25. They layoff your friend, but still are advertising for h-1b jobs in the US

I just did a check on MyVisaJobs.com they are actively looking for 203 H-1b workers to fill positions in the US!

http://www.myvisajobs.com/Visa-Job-Keywords/microsoft.htm

This is fucked up on, ooooooh so many levels!

[OhioChick]

26. FUCKERS!

Thanks, Chrome. I'll send that to my friend, as well as to Durbin and Grassley.

Cheap ass SOB's. :mad:

[Azlady]

28. Now THAT is THAT!!

Who in the HELL has a direct contact with the White House!!!! THIS IS COMPLETE OUTRAGE! They lay off the OP friend & co-workers and are filling those positions with Forgein workers!!! I'm sorry this SUCKS MAJOR!!!!!!

[sarcasmo]

27. Kick and Nom, another screw job for the American employee.

[OhioChick]

29. Did you see this????

http://www.myvisajobs.com/Visa-Job-Keywords/microsoft.htm

After Microsoft lays off people, they're looking for H-1B workers! :mad:

Thanks to "Chrome" for the link.

[MrsCorleone]

30. Unfortunately, the deliberate weeding out of American

employees in favor of lower cost foreign workers has been going on for a while.

Some of you may remember the following vid from 2007:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU&feature=related

"Immigration attorneys from Cohen & Grigsby explains how they assist employers in running classified ads with the goal of NOT finding any qualified applicants, and the steps they go through to disqualify even the most qualified Americans in order to secure green cards for H-1b workers."

[SergeyDovlatov]

31. from what I've heard

the first round of layoffs was based on groups, not individuals. I.e. if certain product is not profitable and not stratigic for some reason or another, everybody gets the axe.

It is not like they are saying, you, you and you go. Your entire team is gone.

[spindrifter]

32. Per Ballmer, this is where the layoffs are:

As part of the process of adjustments, we will eliminate up to 5,000 positions in R&D, marketing, sales, finance, LCA, HR, and IT over the next 18 months, of which 1,400 will occur today. We’ll also open new positions to support key investment areas during this same period of time. Our net headcount in these functions will decline by 2,000 to 3,000 over the next 18 months. In addition, our workforce in support, consulting, operations, billing, manufacturing, and data center operations will continue to change in direct response to customer needs.

(From Steve Ballmer's letter to the employees.)

Based on conversations I've had with Microserfs and -masters, some of the cuts came from areas that were staffed above their approved FTE's. Also, based on some of these conversations, some of the decisions, i.e., for overseas operations, are still not final. There is about a 6-week review process each year. Also, there is word that the cuts are not as much as what is actually needed to tame the beast.

[Greyhound]

33. Did everyone just think we we've been lying all these years?

IT professionals have been getting shafted, and telling people about it, by M$ and all the major software companies forever. There have been papers, articles, leaked internal memos, and first hand accounts of conversations about this evil empire's plans and practices since the 90's, yet every time, we are ignored.

They sent Bill, and now Steve, out to do an interview or testify at some hearing and that is the end of it. They say one thing, and within a week or two, turn around and do just the opposite and nobody says anything. The last time Gates went to Washington to demand an increase in H-1(b)/L-1 visa program, Hillary Clinton practically offered to blow him on the Senate floor. There were no "tough questions", no presentation of a different case or proof of need, just "Oh thank you for deigning to attend our little get together, Mr Gates".

I feel for what has happened to your friend cause I've seen it many, many before, but he's in IT for God's sake! Did he think all these stories were made up? Did he believe that he was just so much better than everybody else that he'd be different? This has been going on throughout the industry for over ten years.

:grr::banghead:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

34. Not Sure The H-1B Workers Were In The Type Of Jobs That Were Laid Off.

Microsoft is still currently hiring tons of people. It was only certain types of jobs that were required to be laid off. The H-1B's might not have fallen into those categories.

[pacalo]

35. Big K&R.

[Arctic Dave]

37. And people wonder why violence against foriegn nationals goes up

during times like these. I am not advoacting violence, I am advocating hiring any foriegn national when thousands and thousands are losing their jobs. To say they couldn't find a qualified US citizens doesn't pass muster with me.

[Waiting For Everyman]

38. K&R I'd like to see the whole H-1B etc. program gone.

It was a stupid program to begin with. We need to criminalize us some offshoring too. That needs to stop, especially tax-funded jobs.

[Azlady]

39. Kick & Recommend - folks be sure and read the 6-7 posts on this thread