MQ offshoring - My response to the President
Posted By: Movin In With The President on 2009-03-27
In Reply to:
Here's MY letter--below--to our President. Our jobs are going people. But our president has other plans. To the poster below--do you think that lovely older woman who asked the question about offshoring--or any of us lovely people sitting comfortably in our home offices right now working--are cut out for jobs such as (taken from the transcript) building solar panels or wind turbines or the new biofuel -- that involve these higher-value, higher-skill, higher-paying jobs ?? Are you ready to climb a friggen wind turbine and service the propellers?
I was so upset with his answer. First, I called the White House. This is our right. You ALL should do that. Second I wrote the following letter to the President. My own little two cents. Then I copied it to every news agency out there that I could think of. Again, just my two cents. You all should do the same. Let him know that his answer just will not do. What are we all supposed to do, in the meantime, to buy food and pay our bills before we get trained to build turbines, solar panels, or go to the lab to create the next biofuel?
----
President Obama—
You owe the American displaced workers an apology.
How dare you.
I am shocked at your response to the video question about the offshoring of American jobs. How dare you say to us that we don’t want those jobs that are going offshore anyway. Mr. President, for those of us who have lost or are about to lose our jobs to offshoring, yes we DO want our jobs.
You then went on to blame offshoring on the credit situation. Oh come on! The financial disaster has nothing to do with offshoring. Offshoring is the bastard child of government ineptitude and the corporate greed running rampant in our country. Offshoring means getting the same job done by cheap third-world labor. Offshoring is about not paying decent wages and benefits. Offshoring is about stuffing corporate pockets with more money.
If there was an international symbol for offshoring, it would be a picture of a CEO’s heel grinding into a third-world worker’s back.
These greedy corporations have sold out the American worker and are stepping on the backs of the low-wage third-world workers .
I am outraged. I DID go to school Mr. President. I HAVE a degree. I have invested thousands of dollars into reference materials and equipment to help me perform my job better. I also have invested almost 30 years to my career. My career is very technical. I could rattle off a bunch of words here for you, and I bet you would not know what they mean. But I do. And I have performed my job with pride all these years.
How dare you brush off the offshoring question with such simplicity.
Well, I would rather Americans have jobs, not undereducated or poorly educated third world nations.
A lot of the work from my field goes to India, Phillipines and Pakistan. Didn’t I see a group of Pakistani’s burning the American Flag on TV recently? Do you know that when my company’s work goes offshore, it contains the name, birth date and social security numbers of Americans? This is information, that in the wrong hands, could be used to ruin someone’s life. How can we be sure in countries with unstable governments, with such widespread hatred for America, with the arrogance to burn the American Flag on national TV, that this information will be guarded with care? The sad part is, after the Pakistani’s anti-American demonstration, chances are they all went back to work---doing jobs taken from Americans.
How dare you say we don’t want our jobs. What is your solution? Wait for these “green jobs” to be created some day? Go to school while we are waiting and then hope that we will be hired when we are in our golden years?
How dare you belittle what we all have worked so hard to achieve in our lives. Not all offshored jobs are call center jobs. Many of those jobs are now degreed and highly skilled jobs also.
And—your comment about our children becoming engineers was laughable. With all due respect—get with it sir—those jobs are also being offshored. Also, what are we, the displaced workers, many of us middle age, supposed to do in the meantime before we get trained to build solar panels, wind turbines and create biofuels. How should be pay for our food and our rents and mortgages?
No, Mr. President, you are so very incorrect. We DO want those jobs. They feed us, clothe us, and keep us off the street. Not to mention they help us strengthen the tax base in our own country--America.
Yes, We WANT our jobs, Mr. President.
You owe all the displaced American workers an apology.
You Are Wrong.
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Voice Your Concern about Offshoring - E mail the President - see here
Go to whitehouse.gov/contact or ehow, etc. I did just that today. They invited me to e mail the president - so I did. Not sure he will ever get it but it was a nice friendly letter. I asked him to find out and report how many jobs are being offshored every single day, faster than he can create them. I asked him to try to get specific figures on tax implications and our social security system. No one has ever given out this information, which would probably be a difficult task since the offshoring companies will not fess up to how many jobs really leave the U.S. I figured if any one could find out it would be President Obama himself. As an aside I asked him could it be true that the big banks who received approximately $150 billion dollars of our money actually applied for 20,000 new visas for foreign workers (up 1/3). With our own money?
I asked him how his stimulus package was supposed to work. I have always stimulated the economy, worked, and paid taxes. Now my job has been given to a foreign worker who does not pay taxes. What gives? If that is not on a drain on the system, then the lines for unemployment income are. I mentioned that the stimulus checks handed out were never going to trickle down to the average American citizen. Look what they are doing with it. The best stimulus he could give us is to save our jobs. We can't spend what we don't have. I also congratulated him on his new job, financial security, the American people keeping the mortgage up to date on the White House, and that his kids certainly seem to have everything they need. Keep up the good work and get back to me on those huge figures. Oh, and I gave him my figures, unemployment at 50% of your earnings for 6 months.
Your e mail can be one sentence or up to 5,000 words. Can you imagine the President receiving e mails from 300-500 MTs in one week. Do it.
Still waiting for response to my letter sent to President
Bush about Katrina. I called the White House and later sent in fax and so far have no response. Good luck.
Offshoring to India...Offshoring.
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President's Day
hopefully our next president will see this
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Who was the US president when U first became an MT?
President Clinton for me.
? US PRESIDENT
Gerald Ford
US president
That would have been Daddy Bush.
president
Carter - 1979 - American
Someone should have told our President that...nm
nm
Well, I'm glad YOU are not the president...
The same people who wanted to tar and feather GWB for not piecing together some snippits of information before 9/11 and tried to say that he should have seen it coming are the same people who criticize him for stepping into Iraq to remove a dictator who even Bill Clinton said needed to be removed. If you think terrorists weren't conducting business in Iraq? You are naive. If another attack were traced back to weapons or nukes passed off in Iraq, you would be blaming Bush for ignoring all that was known about Saddam and the danger of leaving him in power. In a post 9/11 world, with all that was before him BEFORE the war as far as intelligence, he did the only thing he could do. I think in the long run it's going to work out in Iraq, but again, that takes us back the patience thing. I've got it, you don't. History shows that Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will a new Iraq.
The president has it in for you, yeah, that's it!
Blaming other people because you refuse to keep up with the world and desperately want to hold on to a job that's clearly on its way down the toilet is the exact attitude that ends up getting nowhere in life, but that's always someone else's fault too, right? What a defeated, running in place attitude you have! See you at Walmart applying for the prestigious greeter job (that will be the president's fault too).
LMAO
That president is such a wimp.
You would think he'd be as far away as possible. I miss President Palmer.
The individual who is now the president of
the insurance company association (whatever it is called) is Mark Racicot, who was Bush's right hand man and head of the RNC. They do not care about the welfare of people, just their own pockets.
President of AAMT going to
x
Writing to president sm
It's a good idea but he's been talking about it for a long time and doubt he'd agree, his mind is made up. What has to come across is the confidentiality issue which I believe is another moot point. It's very sad and I think has been in the making by the hierarchy for years. Doctors don't care period. They have families, hate dictating, would love to have it off their backs. I guess what we have to do in response is be discreet and not tell them anything we don't want the world to know. Sad, sad,sad!
My email to the President
I wrote this email to the President this afternoon. I cry each time I read it. I know I may have a few errors in the punctuation but I was very emotional when I wrote it. *Please note I am a newer Transcriptionist hence the money comment.
Dear Mr. President,
I am a medical transcriptionist. I just got laid off this morning from my job due to our largest client taking their work back in-house and sending some offshore. I have worked 3rd shift for a year for not very much money. I have sacrificed family time, personal time, money, and my health. I have rearranged our family schedule and my body clock. I needed to work and did what I had to do. I worked the job I could find. It was not much money but that money paid my mortgage, put food on our table, paid our auto loans, and credit cards. There are very few jobs out there.
What do you suggest I do now? What are you going to do about offshoring? How am I going to tell my husband? I voted for you. How are you going to help me, (Name) the Transcriptionist? Do I now have to work for an overseas transcription company. That seems very un-American to me.
We pay our bills, we are good people, we work hard but it does not seem to matter. I'm a tired American. I'm tired of working so hard for so little. I'm tired of not making ends meet. I'm tired of being told to be patient and it will turn around. I'm tired of the rest of the world taking advantage of our generosity. I'm tired of my husband driving a (Corporate name) truck all day and night and showing very little for his efforts. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired.
Well, I guess I can get some sleep now because I don't have to work tonight.
So Mr. President, my policy questions for you are:
1. When are we going to take our jobs back and take care of our own people?
2. What am I going to do for work now?
Thank you to whoever reads this. It may not be seen by the President but I feel better having told him about yet one more struggle of an American family.
michelle for president!!!! nm
nm
Three words to discribe Mr. HIS President....
"Male Shovenist Pig"!
The nerve of some people amaze me. Anyone know if he is Indian?
Three words to discribe Mr. HIS President
"Male Shovenist Pig"!
If you cannot even take the time to spell correctly what you are describing, how can anyone take your comments seriously. "chauvinist".
"discribe" How about describe?
My kind? The blame goes far beyond our president.
He should have finished his first battle before he started another. He has done nothing to ensure that our safety is any better than it was pre-911. If anything, it is worse.
Our president has even alienated his own base.
I visit a local political board that is primarily conservative (something I am totally not, but it's still fun to go watch the "fireworks") and even the hardcore Republicans are peeved at him. Apparently this immigration "amnesty" bill he's pushing has really not settled very well with his "peeps." I didn't vote for him twice, so my conscience is clear, but I still think he's a tool, president or not. I never had respect for him and never will. I know I am not alone either and I'm sorry if that offends you, but I'm exercising one of the primary freedoms that our poor soldiers are dying and getting wounded for--freedom of speech.
The president himself deserves respect only
when he begins to show respect for the office he holds, the populace he serves, and the constitution.
oopsie! 2nd response in. Just followed 1st response.
Tell that to the President and congressmen/women that should be a requirement sm
and lets see what happen LOL
the president's vacation isn't long enough. needs to be permanent.
as for brain surgeons, they may be making enough money to pay the rent AND take a vacation; I'm not.
My husband is a union president and says we should definitely organize.
But what would then stop them from further outsourcing?
Your opening statement about our President is disrespectful.
Whether or not you like him, he is still the President and that office should be respected. Unfortunately, your statement is reflective of the mindset and mentality of many in our country. And people have to ask why the rest of the world doesn't like us--we don't even like each other.
At the very least you should be respectful of those in positions of authority. It's modeling of appropriate behavior that our children see and emulate themselves.
Interesting Article on eScription President
Interesting interview of eScription's CEO
http://health-information.advanceweb.com/Common/editorial/editorial.aspx?CC=94859
Yeah. They are so fair that they fired their president like they fire everyone else.
xxx
Don't forget Marilyn Monroe for being too demanding of the president.
Subversives, all of them! LOL
Is Monday, Feb 12, President Day? Brain dead this morning. nm
x
Once President-Elect Obama is in office, we'll
in the last 15+ years to make our voices heard. He, too, wants to tax the crap out of companies that offshore American work, which is as it SHOULD BE! Why should America be ENCOURAGING companies to offshore?
India was one of the few (if any) countries in the world who was not happy to see Obama get elected, and precisely because of his views on offshoring , and taxing the companies that do it. He will be getting his ducks in a row and formulating his agenda in the first months of office, and that is the time to be sure that all members of our government who can be reached by phone, letter, or email, should be given specific feedback on how offshoring medical records is hurting US, as well as patients, and the rest of the country.
Brain surgeons and the U.S. President take vacations; so can you. The world won't stop if you do!
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If you would like to make monetary donations, please make them to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. Banners are running above on the Main board that link directly to those sites.
Thank you!
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MTStars
I just sent Bill O'Reilly a copy of letter I sent to President Obama. Anyone who can, email him
while the topic is fresh from his recent show. I do think Bill O'Reilly can at least get this offshoring debate out there, and right now we need publicity and basic facts to reach the viewers.
Offshoring
Just remember YOUR elected representives allowed this offshoring to happen. Nothing illegal thanks to the politicians is happening when work is shipped offshore while allowing Americans to lose jobs while increasing taxes.
This is all the fault of the greed and power of the politicians and the corporations. It's not about an Indian worker who has been offered a job and can't lose their accent to please the consumer.
As far as contacting you in a few years when our jobs are overseas, they are shipping them out daily. Where have you been? Check OSI, Precyse, etc. They all offshore some outright and some undercover.
I don't have problems with the workers. I have problems with the government allowing this to happen and the corporations who cut costs while cutting quality by shipping work out of our country.
Keep you eye on your enemy and it is some Indian who is trying to keep a job to make a living.
To those against offshoring...
Have you noticed that anywhere you call, whether it be the phone company, the gas company, the insurance company, you get someone foreign on the phone. Oh yes and do not forget Microsoft and other computer related companies. I realize this cuz i get so damn mad because i can't understand what they are saying to me and they don't understand what i am saying to them. Now I noticed the post below about Earthlink and I am wondering...all of you who are against this..what are you going to do about the fact that the computer company that creates most of the software you use has places in other countries..your gas company..you insurance company, etc. etc. etc.? I, too, do not agree with offshoring, but I do not think there is REALLY anything we can do about it. Not working for companies that do it, yes thats a start, but what are you going to do about the rest of reality and everyday living? Just curious to opinions on this. I am not flaming..just concerned.
Offshoring - don't be too sure.
Look at history....work will be outsourced whether we like it or not. What happened to the steel, printing, shipping, automotive, and many other manufacturing efforts is happening to transcription. While we may produce a better product, if it can be produced cheaper somewhere else it will be. Sometimes MTSO's are forced to look at other avenues because they can't hire and maintain TATs. Clients want their costs reduced when it is already at rock bottom. Transcriptionists want higher pay and the profit margin isn't there to allow this. The transcription business has changed and will continue to change. After all....the only constant in life is change. The offshore MT is hungry and willing to give up just about anything to put food on the table. They probably don't argue, call in sick, complain or quit without notice. They don't bad mouth their employer. They just want to work...much like American workers decades ago. Take heed. I'm in the same boat and don't want to see it happen, but there are many factors that result in change. Transcriptionists are by nature not an organized group. We are mostly solitary and therefore have no voice or at least not one loud enough to be heard. We're all on production. We don't have time for such things. There is no large group lobbying for us. There isn't enough money in transcription anymore to have lobbyists and that is how...regardless of our protests...change happens...silently. People in India and other countries will learn to transcribe. It's only a matter of time. For myself, I am just going to try to do the very best job I can every single day and hope it is appreciated and know that I am not adding to the problem. Actually....I need to get back to work.
A - As soon as I tell them my pay has gone down about 40% since the offshoring (sm)
they are no longer interested in entering this field. In fact, their mouths about drop to the floor.
Having another American MT is not going to save another American job. They will send their work offshore if you are living next door and can do a 4-hour turnaround, just because the price is lower.
I'm getting out also, only doing part-time now and probably won't be doing part-time much longer.
offshoring
Don't know about this company, but there are companies that offshore and lie about it. Know this for a fact. I work for one.
OSi Offshoring - sm
If you are an employee of OSI, you should be able to access that article from the employee web page, try going back to about April or so...it should still be there, where it was originally posted. Read it for yourself and maybe then you'll believe it.
Offshoring
Ah, thanks for clearing that up for me. All this happened before I started. New employees are probably not aware of it, like me.
I probably got myself on the $hit-li$t now, but that's okay for something I did today to see any reaction. It wouldn't be the first time I've been on the list and probably won't be the last.
I will stay, though, as I really do like working for them...and I like the work..
OSi Offshoring
Ah, thanks for clearing that up for me. All this happened before I started. New employees are probably not aware of it, like me. This breaks my heart.
I probably got myself on the $hit-li$t now, for something I did today to see if there was any reaction, but that's okay. It wouldn't be the first time I've been on a list and probably won't be the last.
I will stay, though, as I really do like working for them. I like the work, and really don't have much of a choice anymore.
I think if these companies are going to offshore, they should send the work from the ESL's that can't speak English correctly. That work should be easy for the offshore companies for them to do. 
Offshoring
I just wonder who these big businesses think is going to buy their products/services when all the jobs are in foreign countries. Not only that, when there are no jobs, or only minimum wage jobs, who's going to pay the big fat salaries of our idiot politicians? Heard on Lou Dobbs the other night that while the minimum wage remains stagnant, the senate voted themselves a hefty $30,000 raise!!!! Doncha wish we MTs could "vote" ourselves that kind of raise? Or maybe we're not so greedy and we'd settle for a fraction of that.
Offshoring
Is there any way you can share as there are others of us who suspect this also and maybe it's the same company. If not, that's understandable too.
Offshoring
Keystrokes does not!
MQ OFFSHORING
I need some Positive Proof that offshoring is occurring.. .will help in our hospital's fight against outsourcing all of us.. thanks
Offshoring
There was an article on the internet quite some time ago where a MQ bigwig admitted to MQ offshoring. I have posted on here before regarding offshoring, tell all your family and friends that when they go to the doctor, they need to tell him/her they do not want ANY part of the their medical record being offshored, including transcription. You have that right as a patient. My family and friends know. Unfortunately, none of us have been to the doc lately.
offshoring
I agree. I am also wondering where they are making out on this deal. I have lost 5 Docs due to outsourcing to India. They are not making out in the end. They just think they are. It is such a shame that the US Transcriptionist is the one that are suffering because they do not know what they are doing. Maybe they should have asked one of us to do the math and we could have showed them that they are not making out. Also, you have to take in consideration that all these people's(patient) records are going over to another country. I bet they would have something to say about that. It is such a shame that someone thought they were going to save a buck and did not do the math, and now we are the ones that are being hurt.
 
Offshoring
I too have been affected by offshoring, and whether we see some advantage or not, it is here to stay, and will eventuallly grasp more than half our work in this country. In my experience, I too am amazed at how much doctors will put up with this poor quality work. I personally know of, and have seen large medical offices, radiologists, large clinics, send their work to India, and put up with their error rate as if it were an acceptable part of the equation. BUT, if an American Transcriptionist put out an inferior report, we would most certainly get that pointed out immediately. I watch with amazement at how much those clients are willing to put up with all because they are paying 6 to 8 cents a line. AMAZING. I know of one radiologist who sent his work to India three years ago, kept one transcriptionist in his office to edit. Three years later, she is still marking all the reports in red ink. She has confronted him with the red-marked reports under his nose, and told him how much he is really paying for the reports as she spends her whole day editing. He won't look at her in the eyes, ignores her comments as if she were not in the room, and goes about his business - three years later! I have been told by CFO's that this is only a transition period, that eventually, the Indians will get it right, and it will be worth the hassles, as this makes "good business sense." We all need to realize that right now is the time to be smart and start training in some other field because even if it takes the Indians 10 years to "get it right," this offshoring has dropped the American wage to a paltry low.
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