The Outsourcing of US Jobs

There has been a continuous debate on the subject of the outsourcing of U.S. jobs to countries overseas and whether or not the loss of jobs for Americans due to overseas trade is worth the gamble. When we discuss the exporting of U.S. jobs, we also examine its results, such as the loss of jobs for skilled Americans and its effects domestically.

When we review a topic such as outsourcing of U.S. employment overseas we must look at the issue in totality. The primary focus of outsourcing jobs outside of the U.S. is to receive cheaper labor while stabilizing or improving the U.S. economy and, in the process, insourcing jobs to the U.S. However, every cause has its own effects and, in order to reach a common goal for unified improvement and economic advancement, there will always be a substantial number of people who will suffer.

So, that brings us to the next question: What are the benefits of outsourcing jobs? As an online article on heritage.org argues, it is but a myth that Americans do not reap the benefits of outsourcing jobs: “The number of jobs coming from other countries to the U.S. (jobs “insourced”) is growing at a faster rate than jobs lost overseas. According to the Organization for International Investment, the numbers of manufacturing jobs insourced to the United States grew by 82 percent, while the number outsourced overseas grew by only 23 percent. Moreover, these insourced jobs are often higher paying than those outsourced.”

However, others may express the belief that exporting U.S. jobs overseas is a bad idea. According to the DetNews.com, “Outsourcing white-collar jobs to low-wage countries such as India and China has thrown some Americans out of work, but a new report predicts that the trend will ultimately lower inflation, create jobs and boost productivity in the United States. “ However, given the current increases on gas prices, cost of living and miscellaneous items, one may argue that the price increase and the individual setbacks are perhaps the highest prices to pay.

Since, the beginning of outsourcing of U.S. jobs there has been a repeated outcry from workers who have lost their positions due to their companies outsourcing. Here is a statement from one former employer, Char Clingman (who had worked with AT&T) in an online article on OutsourceOutrage.com: “In these past 2+ years since my job was outsourced, landing ajob has been impossible. I can’t get a tech job because employers prefer to staff their support team with exploitable cheap labor. I can’t get a tech job because employers prefer to staff their support team with exploitable cheap labor. I can’t get a clerical nor retail job because I am told I am overqualified. I am truly between a rock and a hard place.” This comment truly exemplifies the frustration of workers (all over) who deal with the consequence of job trade who now are experiencing of job trade who now are experiencing the difficulty to now find another position that is suitable for them.

According, to the New York State Department of Labor the unemployment rate, “…was 5.1 percent in July 2005, up from 4.9 percent in June.” So, statistically speaking, the unemployment rate (in New York State) has increased. This is not to say it is solely due to the fact that jobs (from major companies) are being exported overseas but this is a truth that undeniably can play an active role in the increase of unemployment.

The issue of the “job trade to countries overseas” is indeed a complicated one. We have CEO’s of companies who contemplate and favor the choice of “less expensive labor.” Then, we have politicians who believe business trade assists in the advancement of our economy and, on the other hand, we also have the American workers who are at a loss. So, Americans may argue that our politicians and the owners of these businesses should put the needs of their workers first. It is too a high cost to place monetary gain over the loss of trust of the Americans to their government leaders.