The other day, I was returning from Copenhagen Airport after receiving my family from India. The taxi driver is from Northern part of Iraq and in is living in Sweden since 20 years. I found the driver very talkative. And it recollected my days in Cab, wherein certain drivers were so talkative that invoke irritation some times. But this driver was different. He was discussing with me international outsourcing issues. He told me that European companies pay $ 2 per day at Bangladesh to worker for stitching of the clothes and does not provide any social security or facility. Whereas, for the same kind of work, the local cost is $ 100 plus other Government obligated social security and compulsory holidays.
I tried to co-relate the same situation with myself. I am a employee of well known company and working on almost similar pattern. My job is based on project, which always has a deadline. It does not matter if we have holidays or festivity around those deadlines. These projects are outsourced to us by MNCs with their HQ in developed western countries. I have been working in this environment since many years. What I have found, that these companies can not force their employees not to take vacation or work during weekend in order to meet the deadlines. However, these companies enforce the outsourced contractors to meet the dead lines, come what may.
Their employees enjoy the holidays and festivities to fullest, whereas we are required to work during those days. Even if we take a leave, our manager would call to know the status of the work, spoiling the mood of bunking work. We are required to work in major festivals as US is open, but we will not get Christmas holidays, as we don't observe that festival. So we are screwed. Since project has to be completed, we need to stretched ourselves , a bit, but outsourcing company's employees does not stretched. They even mind calling them during their leisure time. You need to say sorry first for the call and than put your problems. If the gentleman is in good beer mood, he will listen else yell at you for disturbing him.
Most of the time, our managers also agree to these MNCs and force their team to work during holidays, else they have right not to recommend performance linked bonus. Thus outsourced team neither enjoy work nor holidays or personal moments. They are always under pressure of performance. The worst situation is we are required to work during their office time, so most the team work half day / night or during night. This leads to serious health problem and impact circadian rhythm.
My one of the colleague is asking for a transfer from one city to another and her request is not granted, only because these big MNCs does not want her to relocate and our Managers also waggle like a dog's tail.
I feel that these western countries are treating us like a resource and our political leaders don't do anything to create jobs locally.
