amount of employees that were let go. A figure that came in much higher than anyone predicted. The decision has also attracted the ire on home turf, with US senator Jeff Sessions saying that Microsoft should no longer ask for more high skill visas in the United States when they are actually firing people in their own country. Here are some of his comments on the matter:
“Microsoft confirmed it will cut up to 18,000 jobs over the next year, part of the tech titan’s efforts to streamline its business under a new CEO. That is a significant action. Indeed, Microsoft employs about 125,000 people, and they are laying off 18,000. The company laid off 5,000 in 2009. Yet their founder and former leader, Mr. Gates, says we have to have more and more people come into our country to take those kinds of jobs. It is pretty interesting, really. We need to be thinking about what it all means and ask ourselves: What is the situation today for American graduates of STEM degrees and technology degrees? Do we have enough? And do we need to have people come to our country to take those jobs? Or, indeed, do we not have a shortage of workers, and do we have difficulty of people finding jobs?”The usual stuff, eh? Although it is hard to link STEM degrees with cost cutting measures like this, and then there is also the fact that the layoffs are not just aimed at Microsoft employees in the United States, it does allow people an avenue for criticism. The world, however, will continue spinning — albeit with Microsoft now having a much decreased headcount, and a more streamlined workforce.]]>
Article Categories:
Microsoft
All Comments
Politicians
This site is very political.
Now you have scraped the bottom of the (pork) barrel!
Haha. How can the Government blame a corporation for trying to run the most profitable business in a capitalist economy? I hate to get political, but don’t call corporations evil and then incentivize them to cut jobs and find loopholes for profitability. Microsoft is not the reason for unemployment in this country.
Bingo. Incredibly hypocritical and self-serving. Welcome to politics. Microsoft needs to ignore this drivel.
Should blame on high priced education system in US not able to provide enough skilled workers. Most of the people got layoff are overseas.
Microsoft is an easy target as everyone simply adores to criticize them while other tech companies have large legions of fanboys/girls which consist of everyone from average laymen, to casual or professional bloggers, even well known tech industry gurus to defend their reputation. So if you criticize Microsoft, no one really says anything bad about it. For a politician, you’re in a win-win situation.