CNN Interview with Donna Conroy, Director
Cook County Urges H1-B Reform
One of the largest county governments in the nation voted on Tuesday to open the H-1B visa-hiring program to US citizens and legal residents – in opposition to 13 governors who earlier this week urged Congress to expand the program, without ever requiring employers to seek local talent for top-dollar, white-collar jobs. more...
::: BFJ In Print :::
NYT:"Court Orders Three H1-B Sites Disabled," Dec. 29, 2009 The routine intimidation of Indian tech workers has now been directed at American tech workers who wouldn't snitch on an Indian tech worker, threatening all Americans' free speech on the Internet.
New Jersey and Free Speech: "The action has labor rights activists, free speech activists, and even some beneficiaries of the H1-B visa program united in voicing opposition to the court decision," according to an editorial in the Oakland Journal, a local New Jersey paper.
Businessweek:"Jobs and Protectionism in the Stimulus Package," February 16, 2009 Critics of the H-1B program hailed the inclusion of the amendment as a victory. "The demand to reform corporate recruiting policies that ignore highly skilled local talent now moves center stage," says Donna Conroy, director of Brightfuturejobs.com, a lobbying group for visa reform.
Businessweek: "H-1b Visa Season is Here", March 31, 2009: On Mar. 31, Bright Future Jobs, a U.S. tech worker lobbying group, posted on its Web site 13 advertisements for jobs in which the employer designated a preference for H-1B visa workers or targeted them specifically for the positions, according to the Web site.
Businessweek:"H-1B Visa Law: Trying Again", April 24.2009: U.S. tech worker advocates praised these and other provisions in the bill. "We're thrilled that Senators Durbin and Grassley are requiring employers to seek local talent first," says Donna Conroy, executive director of Bright Future Jobs, a lobbying group for U.S. tech workers. "They recognize that American IT professionals have the talent, knowhow, and experience to push America's economic recovery into high gear."
Businessweek: "An Academic's Labor Helps Fight H-1B Visas," June 28, 2009
Anti-H-1B activists say they're worried less about academic research and more about shaping policy. "The thing that's missing in Norm Matloff's strategy is fighting for a seat at the table," says Donna Conroy, executive director of Bright Future Jobs, a lobbying group that advocates restricting the H-1B visa program. "We need a political movement that allows us to help craft legislation. All the numbers [Matloff] crunches won't have nearly the impact as American technical professionals standing up for themselves."
CIO MAGAZINE: "H-1b Reform Bill Could Complicate Offshore Outsourcing,"
Many rank-and-file IT professionals laud the legislation. "The Durbin bill will put a stop to the outsourcing of American jobs and the discrimination against American IT professionals," says Donna Conroy, a former IT professional and director of Bright Future Jobs, a grassroots lobbying group for American IT workers. "This bill was written for us."
H-1B Reform Bill Could Complicate Offshore Outsourcing
sunglasses: In fact, many other reliable glasses makers have detected this opportunities and prompted some low end eye wear, placing the stones in those holes con...
Microsoft's arrogance may be its downfall yet. Or it could be Microsoft's use of guest workers as pawns in their attempt to transform US society into the haves and the have-nots. In either case, both elements are at play in Washington state now - and may possibly effect the outcome in the August election for King County Executive.
So far, BFJ members have played a part in this unwinding story. Wanna join in? Here’s the skinny:
Rep. Ross Hunter pushed thru legislation at Microsoft’s beheast to extend in-state tuition rates to white collar professionals who are temporarily stationed at Microsoft on corporate visas –at the same time that WashingtonState lawmakers removed $1.5 billion from education, layed off 2500 teachers, slashed heathcare.
The Seattle Times reported yesterday: "The measure passed amid a roiling budget crisis and hundreds of millions of dollars in cutbacks to higher education. It was nicknamed the "Microsoft subsidy bill" by some lawmakers who say the software giant and its workers surely could afford to pay the higher tuition rates."
This is not about Guest Workers; It’s about Wielding Privilege During Economic Collapse While families are burning through their 401k plans and retirement savings, Washington State Representative Ross Hunter fiddled on legislation (HB 1487) offering in-state tuition rates to citizens abroad temporally stationed at Microsoft.
Microsoft and state legislators cannot blame this legislation on guest workers. The guest workers and their families did not ask for this privilege; neither did they organize or lobby. With an average salary of $92,000, these guest workers did not plead hardship. Like all residents of the state of Washington, these guest workers will be heartbroken to discover these benefits will be shouldered by hard working residents who earn less than half - $42,000 - of what they receive.
Washington state legislators must pull together and direct the spirit of American generosity toward the families facing foreclosures, toward the seniors splitting doses of life-saving medicines, and toward the parents who gathered around the kitchen table to tell their anxious child they can't pay for in-state tuition.
BFJ Members Are Now Organizing to Support the “Good Guy” against Ross Hunter – Can you help them? (posted here on Seattle Times): "Be the Change - Let's send Dow Constantine $14.87 as a protest to this HB 1487, the Microsoft subsidy bill." Dow Constantine will focus on all the KingCounty families Ross Hunter ignored. Hunter can't see the people in need; only the corporations with their hands stretched out in greed. www.dowconstantine.com
Would you support these BFJ members in Seattle to defeat a true Microsoft lackey? Donate $14.87. Tell your friends and family.
Donate $14.87 to insure that we have a King County Executive who will direct American generosity to those most in need.
Posted by Donna Conroy at 08:12 PM on Jul-16-2009 Permalink
