US workers for penalty on firms offshoring

10% workers feel outsourcing threatens their jobs

A majority of American workers feel the federal government should penalise companies outsourcing work, which could be done by them, to countries like India and China.

A survey titled "America At Work" , conducted by legal consultants Employment Law Alliance "" an independent network of labour and employment attorneys "" says the bitter feeling exists despite the fact that only 6 per cent of the American workers surveyed have lost jobs because their work has been sent overseas.

While 58 per cent of the workers feel firms outsourcing work should be penalised, only ten per cent feel their job security is threatened because their employer is considering sourcing out their work.

Around 30 per cent say they know someone in the family, among friends or a co-worker, who has lost a job because of outsourcing. Another 39 per cent believe US companies should be free to outsource work overseas.

Around 46 per cent say offshoring work is not as much a crisis as the media has made it out to be. The survey points out that half of the workers will turn to government officials for help if their job is threatened by offshoring.

About 37 per cent say they will turn to labour unions for help if they think they might lose their job , but only 12 per cent of the workers belong to any trade or workers' union.

Around 20 per cent say they will consider legal action in a situation where their job security is threatened by the possibility of an employer sending their work overseas.

Losing jobs

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• 39% believe US companies should be free to outsource work overseas

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• Around 46 per cent say offshoring work is not as much a crisis at it has been made out to be

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• Around 20% say they will consider legal action if they feel their job is threatened because of outsourcing