Stream of U.S. jobs overseas isn't abating
Many companies see their best growth opportunities overseas, and that could hurt efforts to bring down the nation's stubbornly high unemployment rate.
By DON LEE, Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON -- Though some American firms are bringing overseas work back home, evidence is growing that companies are moving more jobs than ever to China and other countries -- a trend that could exacerbate efforts to bring down the nation's stubbornly high unemployment rate.
One sign of increased offshoring is the rising number of applications for federal Trade Adjustment Assistance, which usually goes to factory workers who lost their jobs because their work was sent overseas or was undercut by cheaper imports.
For the six months that ended Sept. 30, workers at about 1,200 offices and plants nationwide were approved for federal Trade Adjustment Assistance. That's about 20 percent more approvals than in the same six-month period last year, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
In addition, the most recent Commerce Department data show that employment at the foreign subsidiaries and affiliates of U.S. multinational firms grew by 729,000 in two years, to 11.9 million in 2008 from 2006. Over that same period, domestic employment by such firms slipped by 500,000 jobs, to 21.1 million.
"The paradigm has shifted," said John Challenger, CEO of outplacement and consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "Most companies see the next phase or era of growth as global. ... That'll still create jobs here, just not on the scale when they were focusing on growth in the U.S."
Do you suppose, just as a hypothetical, that the Emmer campaign could get more efficient and effective output, for less, if they took Tripp Emmer's campaign job and outsourced it to Bangladesh? Doing nothing worthwhile or productive, (same as Tripp), but sucking less of the contributors' cash from the coffers to the Emmer clan would be an economic win-win for the contributors and the worker/shirker in Bangladesh. Somebody give Tom Emmer Jr. a head's up, please, so he can sack Tom Emmer III, and stem future waste.
That picture, a Bangladesh Emmer work candidate, in a Tripp Emmer pose. Hire him, big guy, he's got the chops.
And in terms of outsourcing, ask Tripp and the others at the Emmer front office, from their research, will the actress-dancers at Lookers keep jobs local, or is there some way the GOP can figure to outsource their work load?
