Companies lay off millions and then call on Congress to reform immigration

[battle_sight_zero]

Sorry cant copy and paste article text. This article got my blood boiling. They lay off millions of Americans to where many people (40 percent) make 20000 or less per year. Sounds like they want America to become a third world country. http://m.washingtonexaminer.com/comp...rticle/2535595

Hopefully America is waking up!

[MOD: Quoted for you]

Companies lay off thousands, then demand immigration reform for new labor

On Tuesday, the chief human resources officers of more than 100 large corporations sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urging quick passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

The officials represent companies with a vast array of business interests: General Electric, The Walt Disney Company, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, McDonald's Corporation, The Wendy's Company, Coca-Cola, The Cheesecake Factory, Johnson & Johnson, Verizon Communications, Hewlett-Packard, General Mills, and many more. All want to see increases in immigration levels for low-skill as well as high-skill workers, in addition to a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants currently in the U.S. illegally.

A new immigration law, the corporate officers say, "would be a long overdue step toward aligning our nation's immigration policies with its workforce needs at all skill levels to ensure U.S. global competitiveness." The officials cite a publication of their trade group, the HR Policy Association, which calls for immigration reform to "address the reality that there is a global war for talent." The way for the United States to win that war for talent, they say, is more immigration.

Of course, the U.S. unemployment rate is at 7.3 percent, with millions of American workers at all skill levels out of work, and millions more so discouraged that they have left the work force altogether. In addition, at the same time the corporate officers seek higher numbers of immigrants, both low-skill and high-skill, many of their companies are laying off thousands of workers.

For example, Hewlett-Packard, whose Executive Vice President for Human Resources Tracy Keogh signed the letter, laid off 29,000 employees in 2012. In August of this year, Cisco Systems, whose Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Kathleen Weslock signed the letter, announced plans to lay off 4,000 — in addition to 8,000 cut in the last two years. United Technologies, whose Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Organization Elizabeth B. Amato signed the letter, announced layoffs of 3,000 this year. American Express, whose Chief Human Resources Officer L. Kevin Cox signed the letter, cut 5,400 jobs this year. Procter & Gamble, whose Chief Human Resources Officer Mark F. Biegger signed the letter, announced plans to cut 5,700 jobs in 2012.

Those are just a few of the layoffs at companies whose officials signed the letter. A few more: T-Mobile announced 2,250 layoffs in 2012. Archer-Daniels-Midland laid off 1,200. Texas Instruments, nearly 2,000. Cigna, 1,300. Verizon sought to cut 1,700 jobs by buyouts and layoffs. Marriott announced "hundreds" of layoffs this year. International Paper has closed plants and laid off dozens. And General Mills, in what the Minneapolis Star-Tribune called a "rare mass layoff," laid off 850 people last year.

There are more still. In all, it's fair to say a large number of the corporate signers of the letter demanding more labor from abroad have actually laid off workers at home in recent years. Together, their actions have a significant effect on the economy. According to a recent Reuters report, U.S. employers announced 50,462 layoffs in August, up 34 percent from the previous month and up 57 percent from August 2012.

"It is difficult to understand how these companies can feel justified in demanding the importation of cheap labor with a straight face at a time when tens of millions of Americans are unemployed," writes the Center for Immigration Studies, which strongly opposes the Senate Gang of Eight bill and similar measures. "The companies claim the bill is an 'opportunity to level the playing field for U.S. employers' but it is more of an effort to level the wages of American citizens."

[rondog]

America isn't waking up. America is slowly dying.

[def90]

Well.. The Dems, the Reps and Corporate America all have each other in their pockets.

As long as us consumers continue to eat at places with the $1 menu and continue to buy the cheapest Chinese crap we can find nothing will really change.

[MarkCO]

Two sides to a coin. I have less workers now than in 2011, but my costs to operate my business have increased due to Obamacare and other new regulations. My cost per employee is up 27% over the last 18 months. When I hired my current employees, I paid them a bit above market value, now, looking at wage comparisons, they are about 30% over market value. When the government screws with the economy while practicing social engineering and wealth redistribution, bad stuff happens.

So lets not be like Dems and blame big business for all the woes of America, just ain't so.

[roberth]

Well.. The Dems, the Reps and Corporate America all have each other in their pockets.

As long as us consumers continue to eat at places with the $1 menu and continue to buy the cheapest Chinese crap we can find nothing will really change.

Stolen from Bert and modified.

2 dogs are fighting and a cat walks by, business is the cat.

Business feeds both hoping to appease both, this is a failing policy.

[Gman]

America isn't waking up. America is slowly dying.

Actually, it's picking up speed on the downhill slide.

[jhood001]

I have less workers now than in 2011, but my costs to operate my business have increased due to Obamacare and other new regulations.

I'm curious about this statement. How has Obamacare increased your operating expenses? I believe it will next year, but how has it done so now?

Have your premiums increased this year?

[Kraven251]

America isn't waking up. America is slowly dying.

we are the Phoenix.

[KestrelBike]

I'm curious about this statement. How has Obamacare increased your operating expenses? I believe it will next year, but how has it done so now?

Have your premiums increased this year?

My premiums for my personal policy (and I know of one company policy that performed similarly) increased >10% (and I had gone to a GP once the previous year for a ~$100 physical), ostensibly all in order to prepare for obamacare.

[jhood001]

My premiums for my personal policy (and I know of one company policy that performed similarly) increased >10% (and I had gone to a GP once the previous year for a ~$100 physical), ostensibly all in order to prepare for obamacare.

Right. I get the assumption. My company's premiums increased by 24% this year. Going back over the past 5 years (excluding this year) showed an average annual increase of 19%.

I'm not defending 'Obamacare' here. I'm of the opinion that we either need to go all in or stay completely out of it. I'm just wondering how policy going into affect 4-6 months from now is affecting operating costs today - aside from your particular provider participating in speculation.

And here is a small business owner pro-tip for those that do provide healthcare benefits: Tell your employees to give you a quote for their health insurance costs after the first of the year. Kill your benefits, and give them a pay raise equal to their annual premium cost under AHA. Granted, not every business can do this, and it might be against your beliefs, but it will save both you and your employee money. At least for year 1 of this thing.