Lobbying/Identifying the Last Successful Coalition

[marlon2006]

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Microsoft wants qualified people who can put the longest hours and work for the lowest salary. A lot of Indians can fulfill those requirements. I hope that is not an offense to anyone, but that's the reason. I worked there, I know how it is. That said, again I don't think the Administration of any nation should allow the country to get monopolized by a specific culture.




I have to remind you that it is *employers* who sponsor these labor certification applications. If Microsoft has a thousands of Indian and Chinese EB labor certification applicants pending it is because they find them useful; if they wanted people from any other country absolutely nothing is stopping them from going and getting them, especially since they get to keep them far more easily than an Indian or Chinese person. I can only conclude that they have picked the most qualified people, and satisfied whatever goals they have for diversity etc.

 

[berkeleybee]

Activism and Indian Groups

Applying4GC,

I saw the list of the organizations that you mentioned in your message that are supporting Kennedy-McCain act.

It is very unfortunate that there are no organizations of Indian origin. May be some of the Immigration lawyers of Indian origin are part of the AILA. But where are the Indian American organizations. They will be very active in arranging Bollywood night, Ganesh puja and so on. when it comes to helping their own community, no one cares.

We may need to contact the influential Indians in both the Democratic and Republican parties. when they can arrange fund raising events for the Presidential elections why cant they support us.

It is really organizations that know the ins and outs of the political process that can help us. Everyone else can contribute dollars and votes. The techworkers yahoo group appears to trying to mobilize Indian community groups. Why not get proactive yourself?


If you look at http://www.zazona.com/ShameH1B/Skunks.htm
you will see some India affiliated lobbying organizations there.

Indian CEO High Tech Council,

India Caucus

Indo-American Chamber of Commerce

The National Association of Software and Service Companies is a lobby that represents about 700 Indian companies

U.S. India Political Action Committee

 

[BluBerry]

Nows The Time To Act !

Its good to hear that there are lots of pro immigration groups out there. The more fighting for the cause the better. But we all need to partake in this, and I do not think that there is a group that is represented explicitly and directly by people in this limbo ---> i.e. the folks here waiting for their GC. This is the group that can have the biggest impact especailly if you look at it from an 'humanistic' perspective. I suggest that we start a lobbying group and join forces with rest of them. Money plays a big part in all this and if all those waitng for their GCs (approx 300,000) or so contribute even $20, you are looking at $6 million. Need to get a website, form a charter, and get some reputable attorney to co-chair it, and with $6 milion you can do a lot. this contribution does not include all other legal funding which can be raised like getting your grocery store to cough up some money.

 

[berkeleybee]

Its good to hear that there are lots of pro immigration groups out there. The more fighting for the cause the better. But we all need to partake in this, and I do not think that there is a group that is represented explicitly and directly by people in this limbo ---> i.e. the folks here waiting for their GC. This is the group that can have the biggest impact especailly if you look at it from an 'humanistic' perspective. I suggest that we start a lobbying group and join forces with rest of them. Money plays a big part in all this and if all those waitng for their GCs (approx 300,000) or so contribute even $20, you are looking at $6 million. Need to get a website, form a charter, and get some reputable attorney to co-chair it, and with $6 milion you can do a lot. this contribution does not include all other legal funding which can be raised like getting your grocery store to cough up some money.

The guys at the techworkers yahoo group are apparently trying to emulate www.isn.org an organization that was active in the 2000-2001 period and do precisely this sort of thing. Their efforts don't appear to be focused right now, but they are just getting started (the Oct bulletin just came out 2 weeks ago) and it is a move in the right direction.

Get involved, don't sit on your hands.

 

[BluBerry]

The guys at the techworkers yahoo group are apparently trying to emulate www.isn.org an organization that was active in the 2000-2001 period and do precisely this sort of thing. Their efforts don't appear to be focused right now, but they are just getting started (the Oct bulletin just came out 2 weeks ago) and it is a move in the right direction.

Get involved, don't sit on your hands.

Ok, I haven't heard about tech workers @ yahoo groups till about today. Will check them out. First off though they got to get a website or something and get off yahoo groups. For goodness sake they are 'tech workers' - somebody surely must be knowing some HTML. ( Not to be critical here, but you go through this immigration portal forum and you will come across 100s of things being tracked in manner not worthy enough for a true tech worker to be doing)
Secondly - I hope they dont call the group tech workers; but expand beyond that !
Thanks again

 

[meg_z]

I second Blueberry on that

Secondly - I hope they dont call the group tech workers; but expand beyond that !

I used to be able to read the messages on the yahoo group, but not lately. It seems that you have to log in to read. They were talking with Attorney Khanna to have a subforum (not sure if I am using the write terms) within immigrationportal.com.

 

[krprasad]

i am observing(tried to participate) in techworkers yahoo group, but the impression i got so far is very bad, it appears to be run (owner and moderaters of the group)by a group of guys with no life....and nothing much to do....they wont let you post things which they dont like...(i wanted an alternate plan other than pushing for a legislation....and they started giving bhasan...).

somehow i feel that 300k people are not affected, i hardly see participation of such number anywhere(even in immigration portal, i can say, that around 500 people are regular, and they may be getting around 3000 as casual readers...) on any given day..

if our numbers are really 300k we can do wonders, but if we are just 30k, we better try to plan our life according to developing situations.....because i dont think we will be able to influence any legislation or anything....

 

[BluBerry]

Now is the time to ACT!

I have posted two times in the past few days to give some ideas to the regulars in the forum to get a movement going. But I haven’t heard any feedback, and I so I am going to take the initiative to get this done myself.

While there are quite a few movements out there (Compete America etc.) there is nothing directly represented by the H1Bs waiting for their GC- who look for faster processing times and the availability of visa numbers. There is a group called Techworkers @ yahoo groups, but their focus is on mailing letters and calling up lawmakers.

As I have said before, all efforts are good efforts, however to get our voices heard we need to raise some serious money and effectively use a lobbying firm to represent us well. The Bush administration is serious to get out an Immigration bill, but their focus is on the status of illegal immigrants. Unless, we H1Bs get some proper representation, only an insignificant change to the EB visa numbers may be made. Immigration bills are not passed every year, and if we miss the boat on this then I guess I will be writing to y’all in 10 years.

So here is the action plan for which I need some volunteers:

(a) First we are going to get a website out. I need a few technical administrators - somebody with HTML, web based database, and querying, graphics, hosting, skills etc.
(b) Need an Accountant with non-profit experience.
(c) Need somebody who can help us get this non-profit registered.
(d) Need to get a reputable attorney to be on the board of directors and co-chair this non-profit. The attorney will also help us liaise with the lobbying firm. The attorney will gain significant exposure from this, for a good cause, including possibly some airtime on TV.
(e) Need a set of directors and somebody to chair this non-profit.


As we get this organized and get the volunteers together we will come up with a charter and put it up on the website. We are then going to use the website to raise some serious money, collect statistics and track information. They say there are about 300,000 backlog cases. Even if half of them contribute $20, you are looking at $3 million dollars. Other people, and organizations including your local grocery store should be inclined to contribute and raise that number. Any unused money will be contributed to a charitable organization of your choice.

The time to ACT is NOW, so that we can get our voices heard as the Bill is being reviewed.

Please respond to me at bluberry4all@yahoo.com (with the subject heading H1B) with your information and the role you would like to play so that we can get this moving.

They say the H1Bs represent a highly skilled workforce, and so lets prove that RIGHT. Else we probably do not deserve a GC.

Please paste this on other forums so that there is some visibility and people can volunteer.