Job offers from IBM to laid-off workers

[Job-finder]

Software giant IBM is offering its recently laid-off employees jobs in 'growth markets' like India and Russia through a new programme and will help with moving costs as well as provide visa assistance, media reports said.

Through the 'Project Match' programme, IBM is offering its outgoing workers in the US and Canada a chance to take an IBM job in India, Nigeria and Russia, CNN quoted an IBM internal document.

The company would help ex-employees "locate potential job opportunities in growth markets where (their) skills are in demand."

Should (the employees) accept a position in one of these countries, IBM offers financial assistance to offset moving costs, provides immigration support, such as visa assistance, and other support to help ease the transition of an international move," the document read.

[Recruiter]

IBM to laid-off staff: Go to India

Armonk-based IBM which recently gave pinkslips to above 2000 employees in the US and Canada has an `innovative’ offer for them: Re-locate to cheaper destinations.

In a move to support the pinkslipped employees, the world’s largest technology employer has asked its laid-off employees in US and Canada to join its projects in cheaper-wage destinations like India, China, Brazil and Eastern Europe.

In the last week of January, IBM had announced atleast 2,800 jobs cuts to trim costs as customer spending squeezes. The firings took place in the sales and distribution unit and software division.

The company has asked the laid-off staff to join IBM's new Project Match programme, which would help ex-employees to relocate in IBM's low-cost operation countries. Under the programme, the company will also be offering financial assistance with moving costs and immigration help with visa issues.

According to the company's internal notice, "The potential for developing career and new business skills by living and working abroad has been communicated to employees. Project Match will help employees locate potential job opportunities in growth markets where their skills are in demand."

The memo said former workers will be put in contact with hiring managers at IBM in countries including Slovenia, Romania, Brazil, Nigeria, the Czech Republic, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

The company specified that only "satisfactory performers" who are "willing to work on local terms and conditions" should pursue the jobs. The wages paid to those moving would be as per the local standards. The company expects many may get lured by the offer as employees seek for "life experiences".

However, the move has not gone well with the IBM staff union. Slamming the offer, a union spokesperson said that not only were jobs being shipped overseas, but Big Blue was trying to export the people for peanuts too. He added that at a time of rising unemployment IBM should be looking to keep both the work and the workers in the United States.

[manishdk]

Folks at Harmon Kardon in NY are losing their jobs to India as well. Any company that moves its operations to India or some other third world hole should be boycotted. Ever try calling the customer service for Dell when you have a problem? It's a waste of time.

[Baani]

You might get paid what a resident Indian makes, but you might be charged by the local population for things at rates that an ex-pat would be expected to be able to pay. No one is going to know (or possibly believe) that you are not making a large sum of money as an ex-pat worker.

[Manthan]

IBM is also offering jobs in China, Brazil, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates. Actually, if you think about it purely financially, if you have a decent amount of savings, you can go to one of these countries and live like a king. I mean if $1.92 an hour takes a person from poverty to middle class, think what a bank account of $250K would mean there.

[Engg.]

In defense of IBM, more than half of its current business is outside of the US. And most (likely more than 75%) of the future growth of their business is going to be outside the US. So it's not just a matter of using lower-paid workers. They need more workers where the business and the growth is, and less workers in established, slow-growth countries.

[Tit4Tat]

Okay here's a conspiracy thought. How about next the laid-off car factory employees come on down to Mexico and work at the company's factories there, where the cost of living is cheaper and you dont need such a big salary? And the hospitals are different down there, so cheap, so you dont need all those benefits, you can afford to pay out of your small change.