Do you support efforts to attract high-skilled foreign workers and entrepreneurs to Northeast Ohio?

Categories:
Yes, they can help spur economic growth.
67% (78 votes)
No, they’ll take away opportunities from the region’s residents.
18% (21 votes)
Not sure. This issue deserves more exploration.
15% (17 votes)
Total votes: 116

Comments

# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/15/2008 - 12:08.

Question is a little vague because it doesn't explain whose effort this will be.

If government really wants to promote growth and jobs in the private sector, then the easy solution is to reduce the outrageously high federal and state taxes that are being spent on social engineering programs as well as getting rid of the overly burdensome regulations that have been adopted over the past 30 years. 







		

		

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			Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/15/2008 - 12:30.		

		
It matters not whether I or we collectively support attracting these workers and companies to Northeast Ohio. The reality is that this is already happening and will accelerate in the future. Companies will operate wherever it is most beneficial to do so and they will locate workers wherever it is most advantageous. Skilled workers will locate where the best opportunities are, which may include working from their home country using state of the art information sharing technology. Boeing, HP, IBM are but a few of many examples. The whole concept of companies being either American, European, Russian, Indian or Chinese, etc is rapidly being replaced as we speak with a much more horizontally integrated, multinational structure that continuously adapts to the changing opportunities in the new one-world economy. As Americans we can either adapt and find ways to innovate and add more value both personally and professionally or we will lose out to other more capable, competitive and ambitious inhabitants of the planet whoever and wherever they may be.   

		

	










		

		

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			Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/16/2008 - 10:05.		

		
 This is what wrong with our country now. Companies have found that if they can import foreign workers they do not have to train Americans.  The result is that our labor market  is being left behind , and can no longer find jobs. 


The companies  use to have  apprentice  programs that trained workers.  They use to reward their workers with chance to learn and move up into skilled labor, but the unions, by demanding seniority be used to select those to be trained, in spite of the fact that they may not have the necessary foundation,   and the cost ended the program.


As long as we import foreign skilled workers there will be no skilled jobs for Americans. Thus, no young person would seek any training for jobs that are not in demand. The result is no improvement in the skills of the  American Worker. 

		

	











		

		

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			Submitted by Alex J. Kasubienski III (not verified) on Thu, 07/24/2008 - 11:05.		

		
  I have to agree with the above person. I think bringing foreign persons/workers in is not the brightest thing for our well-being. Sure, it may boost our economy by doing this, but it does no d..n good to boost the economy if the Americans can't afford to purchase anything because none of them have jobs,and why don't they have jobs? Because the companies are to d..n cheap to train their employees, they see it differently than the consumers. It used to be that if a company had some good employees they would want to try and hang on to them, thats just not the case today. These companies of today are now more concerned about how they can get the same results at a lower rate of pay, how it would save the company money if they hired 2 foreign persons at say $ 7.00 per hr. part-time rather than to have to pay one full-time salary of $ 11.00 per hr., and finally how these companies can make more money more quickly.

  Everybody today talks about how cheaply things are built, both quality and cost. That is because the companies don't have to pay that loyal employee (that has been with the company for 6,7,10,15,20 years) $ 11.00 per hr. and retrain them; instead, they hire 2 part-timers and show them only the tasks required of them in the course of their 4 hr. shift, rather than fully training them to complete the entire task. THERE REALLY IS NO LONGER ANY LOYALTY TO THE EMPLOYEES; HOWEVER, THE EMPLOYEE IS STILL EXPECTED TO REMAIN LOYAL TO THE COMPANY,MIND YOU, THAT IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT JUST STUCK THAT KNIFE (MARKED SOON TO BE UNEMPLOYED) IN THAT LOYAL PERSON'S BACK. AND DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING WAS WRONG IN DOING IT. PROBABLY EVEN GRIN NED AND SMILED AT THE LOYAL EMPLOYEE WHILE DOING IT.

		

	











		

		

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			Submitted by Barbara Oney (not verified) on Mon, 07/21/2008 - 13:51.		

		
We need to be driving opportunity in all forms.  We live in a “global” economy.  It cannot be us against them.  It has to be - how can we tap opportunity for prosperity.  With Northeast Ohio’s medical and manufacturing foundation, its road/rail/air/sea infrastructure and its expansive cultural roots it is an ideal community to grow a global footprint.   We should be doing everything possible to attract, engage, participate and support international relations and commerce.