Gangs of New Jersey - Part 2
Gangs of New Jersey - Part 2
Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 1:40 PM
H-1B and JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER
www.ZaZona.com
New Jersey State Senator Turner seems to have relented on her
outsourcing bill, saying that it had too many negative repercussions.
She was "persuaded" by the ITAA and NASSCOM (http://www.nasscom.org).
These two gangs are known to have very effective tools of persuasion.
The National Association of Software Service Companies's (Nasscom)
represents about 700 Indian companies. They actively lobby in the US
and they are registered as a lobbyist with the US Senate:
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/b_three_sections_with_teasers/clientlist_page_W_Z.htm
It is not known yet what role Upendra Chivukula played in defeating
Turner's bill, but he didn't mince words about what he thought about
it. Chivukula said that Turner's bill was "bill anti-business, market
protectionist and undermines free enterprise. It is also divisive and
discriminatory because it provokes dislike against India and the Indian
Community. If we dont take action now, it will have serious negative
consequences in the long term. He also said", ""In these days of
cost cutting, outsourcing state jobs to save money is being done
everywhere. If the state has the capability to do in-house jobs, then
it should do it."
Upendra Chivukula is first Indian to be elected to the New jersey
Assembly but he still remains very active in Indian politics. He claims
that he is a "true Telugu at heart".
For more on Upendra Chivukula go to the following links:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/02/stories/2002090200750200.htm
http://www.politicalcircus.com/archive/article_306.shtml
http://edslawsuits.com.hosting.pacbell.net/board/?topic=topic29&msg=3
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,3959,923844,00.asp
March 10, 2003
Offshore Outsourcing Battle Heats Up
By Lisa Vaas
The New Jersey State Legislature has reportedly tabled a closely
watched bill that would have prevented the overseas outsourcing of N.J.
state government IT projects.
Introduced into the N.J. legislature about four months ago, the bill
was drafted by State Senator Shirley Turner to ensure that government
funds be used to employ U.S. workers, rather than workers based in
India or other typical outsourcing recipient countries. The bill was
passed unanimously by the New Jersey State Senate and was then sent to
the New Jersey State Assembly on Dec. 16.
The bill, however, has reportedly been sent back to Senator Turner for
revisions by a committee of the Assembly.
Indian news accounts credit lobbying efforts by the ITAA (Information
Technology Association of America) and by Nasscom (the National
Association of Software Services Companies), India's industry
association of IT software and service companies, with convincing
Turner that the bill would have negative repercussions on U.S. industry
and that its wording should be changed to drop mentions of outsourcing
and of India. Turner could not be reached to confirm or deny this
account or to say if she planned to revise the bill.
The bill may be doomed to failure or to being watered down, but it will
have left a legacy: At least three other states are now considering
similar legislation, including Connecticut, Missouri and Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, backlash against domestic IT job loss to overseas companies
has taken a different tack in New York. The New York Software Industry
Association, a high-tech organization in New York City, is organizing a
"Buy NY" campaign to re-establish the city's brand as a strong
technology market and to increase the number of high-tech jobs in the
area.
The NYSIA's mission is to promote the hundreds of IT companies in New
York City and to remind buyers that they don't have to look outside of
the five boroughs for quality products.
The campaign will consist of a one-day Buy NY event, a manifesto and a
city council resolution about which NYSIA has not provided details.
The Buy NY event will bring together technology vendors and IT buyers
from the government, private and not-for-profit enterprises on March 21
at the New York Marriott, in Brooklyn.
The manifesto urges buyers to include one or more New York IT producers
or vendors on their evaluation lists.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=39595658
New Jersey outsourcing bill put on hold
TINA CHOPRA KARKHANIS
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, MARCH 07, 2003 11:46:55 PM ]
MUMBAI: Its a victory for Indian outsourcing. A bill in the US state
of New Jersey, proposing to prevent government contracts being
outsourced to India, has been put on hold.
Moved by Senator Shirley Turner, the bill had earlier been unanimously
passed by the New Jersey State Senate.
It was considered for discussion by the Senate Committee on Thursday,
but could not be passed and has now been put on hold.
Software industry association Nasscom confirmed that the Bill has now
been put on hold, apparently because Turner did not approve of certain
amendments proposed to the original draft. If the bill is not taken up
in this session, which lasts till March 17, it will be pushed to the
next session, beginning in May.
The states legislative procedure requires the bill to be approved by
the Senate Committee before being referred to the Upper House for
approval. If cleared, it will finally end up on the governors table
for his assent.
We received tremendous support from the US industry and the US IT
association. The bill is now being reconsidered as the industry has
seen the advantages of outsourcing and tried to convince policy
makers, said Nasscom president Kiran Karnik.
Nasscoms lobbying efforts seem to be paying rich dividends. Its
clear from the shift to Indias favour, said I-Flex CEO Deepak
Ghaisas. Nasscom suggested that certain provisions of the bill be
reworded to allow outsourcing to India if there were
strategic advantages on cost or quality of services.
Nasscom has been working with the IT Association of America and the US
business community to ensure that the bill is not passed. It has
recently also hired a PR firm.
In December, the bill was cleared by the New Jersey state assembly by a
40-0 vote. Turner had said: We shouldnt be sending
taxpayer-funded jobs for state contracts to foreign countries when our
citizens need work. We should be looking out for our own people instead
of developing a cheap labour force in countries where benefits are
rarely provided.
India-born NJ State Assembly member, Upendra Chivukula, had earlier
said that the bill is anti-business, market protectionist and
undermines free enterprise. It is also divisive and discriminatory
because it provokes dislike against India and the Indian Community. If
we dont take action now, it will have serious negative consequences
in the long term.
If the move gains momentum, Indian companies would be badly hit, as the
bill prohibits foreign call centres from executing state-awarded
customer-support contracts. Four other US States are also considering
similar bills.
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