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Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

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Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#381

Post by CamperBob2 »

Swinx43 wrote: post #273
x5n1 wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

H1Bs are our century's slaves, imported to work the tech plantations. Cheaper than locals. Fewer rights. Easier to exploit. And also make their owners a lot of money. In this case they are better off for it, that much has changed.

This is quite a harsh analysis but not too far from the truth. The limitations placed on H1Bs and the fact that you are really easier to exploit is one of the main reasons I have chosen in the past to go to a different country for work. If an H1B had the same rights as say a Tier 1 migrant in the UK you would see A LOT less abuse of this system. A Tier 1 migrant in the UK has total freedom over who they can work for.…

Yeah, it's pretty damn far from the truth. If you know of H1B workers who were violently kidnapped in their home countries and stacked like cordwood in the holds of ships bound for slave auctions in America, I'd urge you to log off of HN and contact the appropriate authorities without further delay.

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#382

Post by mrow84 »

TheLogothete wrote: post #367
mrow84 wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you attribute an increase in sales or profits to the leader? Just because Pharaoh decides to build a pyramid, doesn't mean it will happen, however hard they think it, without an army of people doing the actual work. Also, after the fact, sure, you got a pyramid, but what might have happened if those people were doing something else? It is easy (and in leaders' interests) to take credit for non-negative chan…

Actually the pyramids were built exactly because of the pharoahs. Try building one now. You can't. Because there is no divine inspiration demanding the people do it.

After re-reading, I can see that I didn't clearly express my point of view. The first line should have said this:

"Why would you attribute an increase in sales or profits solely to the leader?"

If you meant something similar, then fine, but if not, then do you really believe that the pharaohs would have been able to build their pyramids without their work force? As for whether we could build one now, I think you might say that we just have different gods [0].

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Khalifa

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#383

Post by SilasX »

JupiterMoon wrote: post #255
SilasX wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of people are responding with historical examples of qualified people unable to find jobs, but I think that strengthens my point. If you can do aircraft stress analysis, you're qualified to do a whole host of technical jobs with very little retraining; it's just a matter of finding those who are willing to take a chance. You don't have to wait for another stress analysis job.

No, your point is flawed and has no basis in reality. If many (read 10k-1000k order of magnitude depending on location size) skilled engineers are fired at the same time then things get really bad for engineers. * All the companies than need any engineering based work done can take their pick of the best. * But remember their normal recruitment channels are still open and feeding potential employees through. They may…

Maybe I'm not being clear: restricting yourself to "engineering" jobs is far too narrow in the first place: it's technically harder than a lot of middle class jobs, and, in the worst case, engineers should be able to market themselves for jobs like actuary, accountant, analyst, etc. The whole problem is thinking that you can only work at jobs designated "engineering".

Disclaimer: this doesn't mean I'm better at the job search. I'm definitely not, and I'd be in the exact same position, of working bad jobs or mooching because I can't land anything between grocery store cashier and engineer. And a big part of the problem is thinking that e.g. someone capable of doing all the math involved in engineering "can't possibly" do the work of an accountant.

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#384

Post by SilasX »

marktangotango wrote: post #362
Gibbon1 wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My dad has a story about working for TRW in spring of 1971. One of his older wiser coworkers came into his office and said 'take a look at this', and laid down the previous three months worth of internal TRW phone books. They were rapidly getting thinner each month. My dad decided he needed to get out and get out now. Through an old work friend[1] he managed to swing a government position in the Bay Area which he kep…

That's not corruption, that's networking :)

Sufficiently advanced networking is indistinguishable from corruption. (Or the other way around, I don't know.)

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#385

Post by mrow84 »

iofj wrote: post #365
mrow84 wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you attribute an increase in sales or profits to the leader? Just because Pharaoh decides to build a pyramid, doesn't mean it will happen, however hard they think it, without an army of people doing the actual work. Also, after the fact, sure, you got a pyramid, but what might have happened if those people were doing something else? It is easy (and in leaders' interests) to take credit for non-negative chan…

One thing's for sure. Drops in sales aren't being attributed to Ms. Rometty. Massive, prolonged drops. Worse than for her predecessor. September 2012 IBM stock 205.5 September 2013 IBM stock 192.75 September 2014 IBM stock 190 September 2015 IBM stock 145 March 2015 IBM stock 140 If the CEO pay logic even remotely applied this woman would never be employed by anyone again. I'd rather hire a pyromaniac that did 100 mi…

I'm not sure if you meant to reply to my comment - yours sounds much more relevant to the topic at hand.

As for the content of what you've said, if it's true, then it's quite terrifying! But it hardly seems unusual [0].

[0] http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/mar/04/bp-chief-exe...

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#386

Post by x5n1 »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #381
Swinx43 wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is quite a harsh analysis but not too far from the truth. The limitations placed on H1Bs and the fact that you are really easier to exploit is one of the main reasons I have chosen in the past to go to a different country for work. If an H1B had the same rights as say a Tier 1 migrant in the UK you would see A LOT less abuse of this system. A Tier 1 migrant in the UK has total freedom over who they can work for.…

Yeah, it's pretty damn far from the truth. If you know of H1B workers who were violently kidnapped in their home countries and stacked like cordwood in the holds of ships bound for slave auctions in America, I'd urge you to log off of HN and contact the appropriate authorities without further delay.

You forget that the Coolie trade of Indian indentured workers went hand in hand with the slave trade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolie

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#388

Post by lakkal »

saiya-jin wrote: post #313
im_down_w_otp wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People with mortgages and kids don't move to new places where there's more, or at least more immediate, economic opportunity? Why not? Kids are mobile. Mortgages can be covered by tenants or by selling the property (usually). I only have kid (singular) and lack a mortgage, but I'd definitely move my family to a place with more opportunity if the well ran dry where we're at now. I wouldn't even hesitate or think twice…

let me tell you, moving away from all friends can be tough for a kid. some cope with it well, some not at all, most are somewhere in the middle. I know I didn't enjoy my experience to say at least...

Same here. We moved when I was 6, 10, 12, and 16. A shy, introverted geek in the 70s and early 80s had it hard enough without that.

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#389

Post by CamperBob2 »

x5n1 wrote: post #386
CamperBob2 wrote: post #381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it's pretty damn far from the truth. If you know of H1B workers who were violently kidnapped in their home countries and stacked like cordwood in the holds of ships bound for slave auctions in America, I'd urge you to log off of HN and contact the appropriate authorities without further delay.

You forget that the Coolie trade of Indian indentured workers went hand in hand with the slave trade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolie

I didn't forget, it's just equally irrelevant. Slavery and other forms of human trafficking are very real issues worldwide, even in the 21st century. It's demeaning (not to mention just plain stupid) to compare H1B workers to slaves.

Re: Reports Coming in of Big IBM Layoffs Underway in the U.S.

#390

Post by jacalata »

negrit wrote: post #312
jacalata wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, the H1B goes with the employee. They/you have to apply for a H1B transfer.

But the previous employer has to approve the transfert.

Absolutely not. The previous employer has no role at all and does not even have to know it happened - you could apply for a H1b transfer, get it approved, decide you don't want the new job and continue working for your old employer without them ever knowing you had looked around. Everyone I know has had the transfer completed before giving notice at the old job so that if it somehow is denied (eg new employer does not have a job that qualifies for a H1b), the current employer doesn't have to know you wanted to leave.
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