Mickey Mouse seems to have had a bit of a change of heart. Imagine being one of 35 technology workers for Disney/ABC Television and one day being told that your job would be taken over by immigrants working of an H-1B Visa.
Well, that’s what happened to a group of Disney tech workers. To top it off, during their last weeks, they would have to train the new immigrants who were coming in to take over their jobs, according to a New York Times report. That is, until they were told their outsourcing prospects weren’t going to be coming anymore and their jobs were safe.
“‘We were read a precisely worded statement,’ said one of the employees, who was relieved but reluctant to be named because he remains at the company,” according to Julia Preston of the New York Times.
“‘We were told our jobs were continuing and we should consider it as if nothing had happened until further notice.'”
Many of the immigrants were from India with some of them being on temporary work visas called H-1B. Preston explained. Since the announcement of the cancellation there hasn’t been any information released by Disney. This led to the Department of Labor opening an investigation into two of the outsourcing companies that were involved in the confusion.
“Tech workers who lost jobs in Orlando said Cognizant was one of the firms importing Indian immigrants to replace them,” reported Preston.
“Current and former Disney tech workers have previously not spoken publicly about the layoffs. But on Saturday, one former Disney employee in Orlando, Keith Barrett, 57,Β posted a personal accountΒ on Google Plus.”
Barrett wrote that most of the people he knew who were let go, were some of the hardest working professionals he had met in his 35+ year career.
“I’m disappointed by this, but I have no anger or malice,” Barrett wrote. “Honestly I’m more focused on my own family survival. Disney Technology over time became incompatible with my professional work ethic and I don’t expect to return even ifΒ given an opportunity.”
Losing jobs in the U.S. to outsourcing is a continuous struggle for employees. Companies who find ways to cut corners look to outsourcing companies to help them, however, this time that may have backfired.
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