How responsible are American workers for outsourcing?

Question

With outrageous workman's comp. claims and healthcare costs, and Union induced cost of employing in USA, which really does not add to net income of average American worker, do you believe American workers have priced themselves out of market?

If you were a potential empoyee and you had a choice, what would yu do? Pay a high cost of workman's comp...for mainly trumped up claimes or outsource?

BTW, I am not an employer or a foriegn worker taking up American job. I am an American employed by American employee!

People in India and China are not working in oor condition but their healthcare premiumsand workman's comp...burdens are much less...

Answer 1

To a certain degree, yes. I don't agree with the Worker's Comp. statement, as you have to go through heck and high water to it approved and by the time you do, you are back to work.

There are too many people on "disability" leaves when there is nothing wrong with them or if it is, was their own doing there own doing (like setting fire to themselves while free basing cocaine), people who are always saying "that is not my job" to the point you wonder exactly what there job is because it doesn't seem to be anything.

The corrupt Unions (which are now on the decline, thanks to their own greediness) that made employers tolerate worthless, abusive employees who could phyiscally harm other employees and their supervisors and not go to jail over it, and to get back in after being fired, but paid back pay.

We as consumers are also guilty; we like buying all those bargains at Wal-Mart and other places with deep discount pricing but the reason they are so cheap because they have been imported from other countries where they pay workers per week the same amount they may pay an American for an hour.

Any company with shareholder has to make tough decisions and do what is most profitable for the company and they are outsourcing more and more to other countries every year. The only way to turn it around, besides tax and monentary incentives set by our government to encourage businesses to stay here is for the American people to go back to taking pride in what they do, put in an honest day's work, and do the best they can to make the company they work for a success.

Answer 2

THis problem is compounded by many factors. If I was an International Employer I would definately higher the most cost-effective employees possible. Workers themselves are not responsible for outsourcing but outside factors are responsible. People from countries like India and China are becoming educated to the same level as Americans but are willing to work for much less. Therefore Americans must get paid in decreasing amounts due to the equilibrium that is being reached between high paid americans and low paid outsourced employees. The thing that sucks is the cost of living in these other countries is much lower and they are being paid more while the cost of living in America is staying the same, or even rising, while we are being paid less and less. Watch out for problem's in the future that are pretty unavoidable. Invest in India.

Answer 3

I don't think you can blame unions for the outsourcing. Unions are trying to protect their employees pay---you cannot support a family by working for peanuts in this country because then you can't make your house payment, send your kids to college, buy food etc.

It has a lot to do with the rest of the world starting to catch up. People in China and the rest of Asia are becoming better educated and they are willing and able to work cheaply--moreso that a typical American can. That's the bottom line. There is nothing we can do to stop it EXCEPT educate our children at a beter level. That will only happen when Americans start appreciating what having an education means. People in Asian countries appreciate the education they are receiving and they are geting degrees in fields that are important to the future--science, engineering, computers and math. America is not producing the same amount of engieers and scientists that China and other Asian countries are.

We cannot stop outsourcing. That is the reality of a global economy. What we can do is use that good old American ingenuity that is prized in the world to create new kinds of jobs that Americans are qualified to do--and that no one else has a niche in yet. What that is, I have no clue.

The jobs will not return. The government forcing companies to keep jobs in America won't work. Americans need to start reducing our needs for goods and services so we don't go into massive amounts of debt. We need to make sure our children are highly educated and stop the flow of children dropping out of school. The governement can sponsor people willing to go to college for science and math degrees--other countries do this. Look at Ireland--at one point they were in a quandry much worse that America's situation. The government started education programs--got their people graduating college (many with master's degrees) and highly skilled. Now companies flock to Ireland for their educated and highly skilled labor force and the country's welcoming attitude toward business. Many American companies have bases in Ireland. Yes, Ireland is smaller that the US in population and size, but we can learn from what they did and apply some of their practices to turn America around.

Our old way of life is dying. Gone are the days when most people could get a decent paying job to raise their family. The jobs are few and far between. We need to come up with new ideas to generate more jobs in America. The only way to do that is to start with educating a highly skilled work force. That's how I see it anyway.

Answer 4

American workers are barely responsible. However, unions should have done a better job organizing workers internationally, though that is very difficult considering the general problems with organizing at home. Once international workers become more grounded many will most likely want what American workers have.

The general problem would be greed. The constant drive for increased profits. Many large corporations can make more than adequate profits hiring American Labor, but they choose to outsource to increase thier earnings.

Answer 5

There is some responsibility. I'd blame consumers to a higher extent. The cost of living in the U.S. is so high (due to demand) that you cannot get away with the low wages paid overseas.

I'd also blame American workers in terms of education. By theory, the outsourcing is supposed to be followed by jobs for higher-educated individuals. That is not happening, in part because the higher education is not there.

Answer 6

you don't need McDonald's hamburgers~buy the food and bring it home to cook I don't know exactly the point you want but don't blame UNIONS and buying abroad for causing our dismall economy I live in the Philippines part of the year and do you know there is stores that have signs up that say *all goods sold here are made in the USA?* people would rather buy American goods then their own Philippine goods this is colonial thinking at its worst but we have the same problem with people who won't buy American products and say * I want a foreign car* even Ford and GM and Chrysler make some of their cars ABROAD China will always be a big contender in the American market you can accept a lower wage but most Americans of quality will fight for a high paying job with benefits we are not slaves in the USA ~~not yet anyway

Answer 7

I would say yes because they are adding an expense to their price of doing business. The only way that they can justify this is if they are able to be so much more productive that they can replace multiple workers elsewhere. If not then they either need to drop their price be more productive or stop whinning about losing their jobs.

Answer 8

I am manufacturer and there is absolutely no way that I'd outsource my people. They are my responsibility as is my family.

We should get out of NAFTA and the WTO and other multilateral trade agreements which serve only corporations wishing to access cheaper labor markets. America will always lose when we compete with foreign industries that have access to people who will work for $5.00 a day. Our standard of living will have to drop to theirs in order for us to become competitive again.

Answer 9

One word;
UNIONS