Utility cuts IT workforce, hires Indian outsourcers

[OhioChick]

Source: Computerworld

Northeast Utilities confirms plan to outsource IT work to India-based outsourcers; move will affect some 200 jobs

October 1, 2013 05:24 PM ET

Northeast Utilities in Connecticut Tuesday confirmed that it plans to turn over part of its IT operations to two India-based outsourcing firms, despite a recent push by state lawmakers to keep it from doing so.

NU says it employs some 400 IT workers, and "will retain about half of those employees" after turning some operations over to outsourcers Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, two of India's largest IT firms.

Today's announcement makes official what had already been suspected -- the company had told its IT workers weeks ago that it was considering outsourcing tech work.

The utility, which operates New England's largest energy delivery system, today said it is "working with strategic business partners to help conduct the rest of the work - the majority of which will still be conducted locally."

Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9242880/Utility_cuts_IT_workforce_hires_Indian_outsourcers_

[liberal N proud]

1. That seems to be the current trend

All but one of our IT people were let go in favor of India help desk.

The one on sight guy is to physically install or remove equipment.

[Skittles]

2. offshore whores

I'm sure the conservative man cave assholes would approve

[geomon666]

3. Does Connecticut have a state run utilities service?

It would be nice to undercut these privately owned scumbags.

[BlueJazz]

4. From the TATA website.

From aligning your IT with your business needs to an end-to-end strategy for transforming your enterprise, TCS has the world-class experience and expertise that you need to VASTLY CUT COSTS in your business.

....Plus..it makes the people you kick in the teeth love their careers even more.

[jsr]

6. There ya go, in black and white.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

20. But will they pass the savings to the customer?

Very doubtful.

[think_critically]

5. it'll blow up in their faces

Outsourcing IT never works unless you actually have an infrastructure set up overseas to manage it. This will bite them in the ass. I've seen it a thousand times. This is why idiots with MBA's shouldn't be allowed to make all of the decisions.

[ChromeFoundry]

7. Infosys and Tata are about a low as you can go

in the consultancy food chain.

[daleo]

9. My university uses Tata

I don't think a place that trains IT people by the hundreds (thousands maybe) should be undercutting local employment in the field. It hardly seems like a sustainable strategy.

[Snake Plissken]

8. The next power outage will take three times longer to restore

so they'll ask for a rate hike to pay for it, along with a 20% surcharge to compensate their shareholders for any inconvenience

[ChromeFoundry]

10. Just call "Jimmy" in the Indian call center

I'm sure he will be very helpful!

[Snake Plissken]

11. I'm so sorry for your trouble

please wait 30 seconds and reboot your toaster, then tell me if your power came back on

[Skittles]

14. sometimes they are

it's when it's outside of the scripts and documentation they run into trouble

[KamaAina]

22. Northeast Utilities is already notorious for interminable outages

sometimes days on end. Meanwhile, United Illuminating, which covers the New Haven and Bridgeport areas along the coast, is up and running within hours.

[olddad56]

12. not much point in going to college these days....

my son is a senior in high school. He has the grades and test scores to get accepted into many of the country's finest engineering schools. He also has the musical ability to get accepted into many of the countries finest music schools.

He is leaning toward engineering, but I would rather he go to a music school.

I think he would have way more fun starving to death as a musician than as an unemployed engineer.

[antigop]

16. not too long ago I had a conversation with a National Merit Scholar...extremely high ACT/SAT scores.

She scored perfect scores on the ACT math/science sections. She missed one question on the math SAT section.

She's also an excellent musician.

After seeing relatives struggle in the IT/engineering fields, she decided to go into music for the same reason in your post. As long as you have to deal with constant uncertainty in your job, might as well go for something you enjoy.

[Purveyor]

13. This is taking place at Consumers Energy, based in Jackson, MI. and it has been for at least 3

years.

[avaistheone1]

15. Disgusting. They are literally ripping these jobs out from Americans.

[antigop]

17. yes, they are. And Hillary supported it..

[avaistheone1]

18. Good to know.

K&R

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

21. She and Bill also pushed "Right to Work" in Arkansas with Walmart's blessings.

Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions

In six years as a member of the Wal-Mart board of directors, between 1986 and 1992, Hillary Clinton remained silent as the world's largest retailer waged a major campaign against labor unions seeking to represent store workers.

Clinton has been endorsed for president by more than a dozen unions, according to her campaign Web site, which omits any reference to her role at Wal-Mart in its detailed biography of her.

Wal-Mart's anti-union efforts were headed by one of Clinton's fellow board members, John Tate, a Wal-Mart executive vice president who also served on the board with Clinton for four of her six years.

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