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IT Layoffs At Insurance Firm Are A 'Never-Ending Funeral' (computerworld.com)

dcblogs quotes a report from Computerworld: The IT layoffs at MassMutual Financial Group will happen over a period of many months, and it's going to be painful for employees. Employees say they are training overseas workers via web conferencing sessions. There are contractors in the office as well, some of whom may be working on temporary H-1B visas. Employees say they notice more foreign workers in the hallways. Approximately 100 employees are affected. The employees are angry but can't show it. A loss of composure, anything other than quiet acquiescence, means risking two weeks of severance pay for each year on the job. But maintaining composure is hard to do. "I know a few people that are probably close to a breakdown," said one IT employee. [A second IT employee described the emotional impact of the layoffs on employees in this way: "It's like a never-ending funeral."] Intel also confirmed major layoffs in April, which will affect some 12,000 employees or 11 percent of its total workforce.

5 of 420 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The most disgusting part.. by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Insightful

    <sarcasm>But, but, but... regulations are bad. We should let the market decide....</sarcasm>

    Yeah, this falls under the category of C*Os being crooks and lying on their H1B applications. That should result in jail time for everyone involved even tangentially in the decision. Fraud is a felony.

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  2. Re:This sort of thing is why people like Trump by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...Trump keeps saying he'll do something about it.

    Yeah, and what he'll do is expand it. Trump loves the whole H-1B idea, and he's said so repeatedly.

    Trump: “I’m in favor of people coming into this country legally. And you know what? They can have it any way you want. You can call it visas, you can call it work permits, you can call it anything you want...."

    Trump: "We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can’t do it, we’ll get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have."

    Trump’s answer during the Megyn Kelly interview was consistent with his answer during the CNBC debate. He said again that Silicon Valley needs highly skilled workers, and showed his support for the H-1B program. Further, he appeared to support employers sponsoring H-1B workers for green cards, saying, “We absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country.”

    Also, he said, “I know the H-1B. I know the H2B. Nobody knows it better than me. I’m a businessman. These are laws. These are regulations. These are rules. We’re allowed to do it. I will take advantage of it; they’re the laws. But I’m the one that knows how to change it. Nobody else on this dais knows how to change it like I do, believe me.”

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  3. Mass Quit Together, Unionize, Make it Painful by Proudrooster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Come on guys, fight fire with fire! Everyone walk together! Everyone! Maybe even leave a few fires burning, not that you caused any. Get together and agree on your severance package and demands present it to the company as a group. Make it painful.

    They can't do this easily without you. Make them give you a golden parachute.

    Folks, we are Americans! Our forefathers sailed the oceans on wooden ships the size of school bus. We are hearty, tough, and are not to be trifled with.

    We have to stop getting trampled. This is not who we are.

    Get together. Stand together. Fight the man together.

    Take it to social media.

    Blog it.

    Make noise.

    These jerks are taking your jobs and your livelihoods. If this company wants to move to India, let them go sell their shit in India, but make sure another American doesn't do business with them.

    Make sure TRUMP spouts their name at his rallies and what a disgrace this company is to the USA.

    Look outside your tunnel. Get your friends involved. It is time to man up and bring it!

    And it would be a total shame if you put up a kickstarter page to help you all stick together through this.

    Maybe a sympathetic hacking group would get involved to create mayhem until you are able to get back in the saddle.

    It is time to drop the hammer and get tough. They do not tell you what you get as severance, you tell them. You are not a dog being fed scraps.

    Knowledge is power. Don't go gently into that dark night!

  4. Keep telling yourselves unions are bad... by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    After all, they're the only thing that has ever worked against a bunch of asshat employers.

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    That is all.
  5. Re: This sort of thing is why people like Trump by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Better question: which branch ENFORCES the laws?

    As in, it's already illegal to hire an Indian, er, H1-B, when an American is available. Clearly that's the case here and everywhere else. Why do we keep reading about people training their foreign replacements when it's not supposed to be happening, and why aren't executives in jail already?