Dalls Morning News 6/13/1999 Letters to the Editor

Companies don't need an increase in immigrants


Sen. Phil Gramm wants to raise the maximum number of so-called H-1B
visas granted annually to computer programmers, engineers and other
highly skilled technical workers from 115,000 to 200,000. This will
enable corporate America to fire even more American programmers,
webmasters, network engineers and other high tech professionals with
cheaper foreign labor. According to Sen. Gramm and the Information
Technology Association of America, there is a shortage of technology
workers. The only real shortage is that of cheap technology workers.


Having recently been in the job market as a webmaster, I can assure
anyone that there is NOT a worker shortage by any means. Here in San
Diego, most high tech employers are far too picky about whom they'll
hire.


One local employer, Qualcomm, continually complains about a worker
shortage, even though it recently laid off several hundred people. It's
interesting to note that late last year, Qualcomm was begging Uncle Sam
to allow more cheap, foreign workers into the country through the H-1B
program. Despite frequently submitting my resume to Qualcomm while
constantly improving my skills and revising my resume, it has never even
bothered to give me a phone interview. And it keeps complaining about a
shortage of workers? I finally reached the conclusion that Qualcomm
probably doesn't treat its employees any better than it treats their
candidates.


In the case of other local employers, most of the idiots doing the
interviewing don't realize that most competent programmers can easily
learn new languages once they have mastered the art of coding. I'm now
working with Perl although I had absolutely no Perl experience prior to
my current job. My current employer is very pleased with my work. I was
able to see the similarities between what I already knew in C++ and
quickly get up-to-speed in Perl. Just an example.


The cheapest and most effective ways to attract and retain good
employees are to respond promptly to job candidates and be flexible.
Offer flexible work hours and don't mandate a dress code. It's quite
amusing to find that many of the companies complaining about the worker
shortage have very rigid work environments (again, dress code and work
hours), have management with little or no knowledge of technology and
pay well below the market rate in salaries.


Perhaps the so-called "shortage" is just a ruse to get Uncle Sam to
approve even more guest worker visas.


As for immigration, I have no problem with granting permanent
citizenship to foreigners who can contribute to this country. On the
other hand, the H-1B program merely creates indentured servants.


KEVIN KEY, San Diego, Calif.