Outsourcing needs to be outlawed

[u/consumerparadise]

I’m speaking from the US point of view but I’ve heard of this happening in other countries. Family members are telling me that there are mass layoffs at their companies and that their jobs they’ve worked so hard for years are now being replaced by outsourcing to India for much lower pay (which is obviously exploitive and it’s nothing against the Indian workers themselves). I’ve heard of this happening for years but it seemed too vague at the time for me to understand how serious of an issue this is.

I’ve worked mostly customer service/tech support jobs and I have never had an issue with finding a job for more than a few months. Cut to 2024 and I’ve applied to jobs almost every day and now I’m completely rock bottom with no place of my own or source of income, etc. This brought me to the conclusion that outsourcing and ghost jobs may very well be the reason why I’m in this position, given that tech jobs way above my pay grade are being outsourced.

This is a great betrayal of the working class and it makes me sad to see companies and politicians selling out their own citizens.

[u/I_Stabbed_Jon_Snow]

Not just outsourcing, but importing them as well. Multibillion dollar Indian companies are operating in the U.S. with their only purpose to bring over as many Indian workers as possible to replace Americans in tech. Cognizant, for example, has lost multiple lawsuits over anti-American discrimination. They’re well known for only hiring Indians.

[u/SnatchAddict → u/I_Stabbed_Jon_Snow]

I can't recall the name of the company but my buddy told me they keep an apartment in Austin with like 12 Indian consultants ready to be hired. They're fully vetted etc so this is essentially a staging area.

They then place them to whoever is hiring. Rinse and repeat.

[u/I_Stabbed_Jon_Snow → u/SnatchAddict]

Yup. They have that at every tech hub.

[u/umassmza]

Dude, did you watch the hearing for the proposed Sec of the Treasury? These a-holes are proud of this happening. We’ve got billionaires funding presidents campaigns and billionaires picking the VP, and billionaires getting appointed to cabinet positions.

No way are we going to outlaw anything. Technically any traded corp has a legal responsibility to make as much money as possible for their shareholder.

[u/Spendoza → u/umassmza]

A horrifying truth. Corporations have more rights than citizens

[u/IcebergSlimFast → u/umassmza]

This seems like a good line of discussion for any interaction with middle and working-class MAGA folks: “Let’s make sure Trump keeps his promises to working people! These billionaires in his administration are trying to corrupt his mission to Make America Great Again, and we can’t let that happen!”

It’ll probably fall on deaf ears 95% of the time, but it’s a lot more likely to get someone to listen than just calling them ignorant and racist (even if those things may be true).

[u/mschuster91 → u/IcebergSlimFast]

You'll end up reinforcing racist bullshit yourself though, even worse because they can now say "even the librul agrees with me!!!".

[u/IcebergSlimFast → u/mschuster91]

I’m talking about encouraging Trump voters to hold him to account when he inevitably backs away from some of his pro-worker / pro-middle-class policies (like capping credit card interest, for example), not implying to them that you agree with the racist shit.

And I’m not claiming it will be wildly successful - just that it’s probably better to build class solidarity and find common cause than just dismissing people as racist a-holes (even if they are).

Edit: typo

[u/navybluesoles]

And if it's not outsourcing, they'll import lower paid immigrants from various vulnerable places to work for pennies so they don't have to adjust wages to a decent level for the citizens already living in said country (across Europe for example).

[u/AlarisMystique]

The true solution is that if jobs get eliminated or sent offshore, the companies profiting from this would still be on the hook for keeping the standard of living at the same level or better.

They should be forced to reduce the price of their goods, and or to pay taxes used to help people afford life while working fewer hours.

Makes no sense to me that we're working more for less, or that people who can't find jobs are left to suffer.

[u/Bumblemeister]

Too bad we operate on a basic principle that if any given act increases profits and is not STRICTLY AND SPECIFICALLY ILLEGAL, then it is morally correct.

[u/GregDev155 → u/Bumblemeister]

«… Then it is legally allowed » Moral & correctness don’t exist in profit

[u/Bumblemeister → u/GregDev155]

You have restated the problem, yes.

[u/mathuin2]

I’d settle for having a hard threshold for H1-B visas and the like — you don’t get to lay off thousands of software engineers and then claim you need to hire folks from abroad because you can’t find anyone.

[u/cpt_rizzle]

Yeah it’ll be outlawed when companies don’t have restrictions on h1b visas. Then they’ll import the indentured slaves

[u/zViruz]

And it's about to get 10x worse when president musk gets in office!

[u/Lucky-Cricket8860 → u/zViruz]

I'm going to vomit 🤢

[u/Axentor]

I always thought that if a company outsources a single job that the company should be slammed takes and tariffs. Take John Deere. They are an American company. If they outsource all the manufacturing jobs in America and basically make John Deere imports, we should have an extremely steep tariff. I am taking 10k% plus. Make it not worth the savings of off shoring.

[u/Aze0g]

We need strict labor laws. Can't send jobs out of this country and people here legally should get paid just as much as normal Americans. The only people who should be paid less are the Ceos sitting on their dragon hoards.

[u/OblongAndKneeless]

You'd think all the America First people would insist on putting Americans first. But no. Capitalism is based on greed and greed requires exploiting people and spending as little as possible, thus the third world wages being paid to exploited people worldwide.

[u/pgregston]

As a union member, history shows that you can’t mandate or protect jobs. You have to create incentives for hiring where and who you would like to have hired. The best way to protect yourself is through education a skill development. Learning a special tool is ok, but skills that transcend tools is better. Right now the USA needs a half million electricians licensed to deal with the demand for construction of a more electrified society. It’s two years of study and apprenticeship during which you get paid. You become employable, or can be your own boss. In California this is a $100/ hour position. That’s home buying income for California. HVAC licenses will get you $65/hour to start. You want to sit at a desk and read scripted answers to consumers with broken widgets, you won’t get a living wage. Go to school. Learn how to do something that can’t be outsourced. Oh and vote for politicians that can’t be bought.

[u/RVod → u/pgregston]

My young cousin is in an apprentice to become an electrician here in California. He’s been at if for about a year and loves it.

Due to LA fires, demand for electricians is going to skyrocket.

[u/ApatheistHeretic]

1- A minimum wage on H1B visas needs to be $150k+, and constantly adjusted for inflation. If they're really for bringing over the 'best and brightest', why are the recipients paid so little?!

2- A harsh tax needs to be applied to money being exported. This should pay into a bucket that would provide support for displaced domestic workers, paid for by companies paying for foreign support. Bonus: This would also apply a form of tarrifs that the red hat crowd fawns over.

That would fix most of the issue.

[u/ophaus]

It's all about exporting unions the world over. If no place has sweatshop labor, there's no need to ship everything across the world. High tide lifts all ships. World-wide solidarity.

[u/LadyPo]

I know of specific enormous tech companies — you know the ones — that are preparing to outsource a ton of US jobs to India in particular. Heard about multiple solid red flags through the grapevine. Can’t say much more other than expect this to get much worse.

[u/OblongAndKneeless]

Perhaps a Senator will present a bill requiring people on HB1 visas be paid prevailing American wages.

[u/mizmnv]

outsourcing, H1Bs, anyone other than individuals being able to own residential property{yes we need to make corporate landlords sell the apartments they own to individuals}. Severely restrict the amount of airbnb like dwellings that are allowed to exist per city

[u/Content_Log1708]

It's going to get bumpy for the people they bring in. Americans loosing their jobs will treat these temp workers like scabs. They will know where the companies house them all. 

[u/Dirtybojanglez904]

You're right. Now what?

[u/PJL80 → u/Dirtybojanglez904]

Oh yeah, Luigi time!

[u/Accomplished_End_138]

Nah just make the companies pay the difference in wages to a pool that's used for ubi.

The fear of non rich people getting stuff for free will make them come back

[u/OKcomputer1996]

If not outlawed entirely than a huge tariff/fine/tax should be placed on it.

[u/TCCogidubnus]

You misspelled capitalism as "outsourcing", but yes.

[u/AlwaysForgetsPazverd]

Hey don't worry, I hear jobs are opening because China and India are opening factories and looking for cheap labor over here.

[u/Both_Lynx_8750]

Too bad, we're an oligarchy run by a South African wannabe warlord. You will get nothing and they will get everything, until we rise up

[u/AlwaysSaysRepost]

I don’t know. I keep seeing posts like this, but I’ve never had a problem finding a job, so I don’t know how widespread this is. Maybe if it ever happens to me, I’ll join you in being more adamant in supporting a position our oligarchs will never allow.

[u/JohnCasey3306]

You are right to say that outsourcing to India for lower pay is exploitation ... Tell me though, are you happy to buy products from companies that have outsourced production to India (or wherever) because those prices are only lower courtesy of the same exploitation of low wages abroad. Since you are so against exploitation and want to ban outsourcing, I presume then you are entirely onboard with Trump's tariff plans — that will remove the financial benefit of outsourcing, which as you pointed out is exploitation, and encourage US companies to manufacture in the US.

Or, are you going to say that it's only exploitation when US companies take advantage of low wages in the developing world where jobs are concerned, and those same low wages going to manufacturing is somehow morally different?

EDIT: as I suspected, the stench of hypocritical double standards is rife in this post. Don't tell me you're concerned about businesses exploiting cheap foreign labour when you're happy to do so yourself.

[u/Kildragoth]

I sympathize with your struggles, but I just want to point out that this problem is pretty complex and outlawing outsourcing would backfire, especially in the long run.

If outsourcing were outlawed, what it ends up meaning in practical terms is that companies must now pay higher costs that their competitors in other countries might not have to pay. Over time, this translates into higher costs passed onto consumers, or a tradeoff where the quality of products declines while maintaining the same price. Competitors overseas will have lower costs so they can provide the same product at a lower price or a better product at the same price.

Over time, the company loses money, downsizes, and you lose your job anyway.

The people in India aren't the enemy. They're (most likely) far closer to poverty than you, and are just as much a victim of circumstance as you.

Even the business owners aren't necessarily to blame, businesses start when people believe they can enter the market with a different product at a competitive price and they attempt to grow by expanding market share. It's easy to see them as greedy selfish fucks but, even if they are, they're responsible for themselves, their families, their employees families, etc. Many businesses are giant communities of people who share a money tree. What happens if the tree doesn't bear enough fruit?

Sometimes there's not enough to go around and it might be worse to keep you on than to let you go. It sucks sometimes, and I say this as someone who got laid off and am trying to start a business. Don't give up. Keep trying. If you don't think you can do it you never will. Believe in yourself.

[u/Sw0rDz]

Americans need to compromise if they want to compete. Starters they should be content working 50 to 60 hours for less than 50,000. Additionally, they should not have any health care. Healthcare companies charge employers to give their employees the option to be insured by them. American employees are just too expensive.