Abbot Labs decision to outsource IT jobs to India faces criticism

Temecula:A recent decision by Abbott Laboratories, a Chicago based Healthcare Company, to outsource some of its IT jobs of its Temecula facility has met with severe criticism with the state's political leadership. The facility currently employs 1,500 people. The company recently relieved 180 IT workers, in place of whom the present IT jobs have been outsourced to India

According to The Press Enterprise, Sen. Durbin in a letter to the company's CEO, Mr. Miles White expressed his concern over the decision to turn out 180 IT workers and replace them with foreign hands.

"To add insult to injury, the Abbott Labs IT staff who will be laid off will first be forced to train their replacements," he wrote in a letter that was posted on Cafepharma.com, a watercooler website frequented by workers in the healthcare industry.

"It should go without saying that such harsh and insensitive conduct is not justified by whatever marginal financial benefit might accrue to your company, which is already making billions of dollars in profits every year."Mr. Durbin ended his letter asking the Abott CEO to restore the jobs of the American IT employees.

Abbott spokesperson. Mr. John Koval revealed that the company had recently outsourced some "IT capabilities" and did not elaborate any further."Abbott regularly evaluates its competitive position and makes changes that reflect the strategic needs of its business. ... We’re retaining the vast majority of our U.S.-based IT jobs," he said.

Last year the company had dropped 60% of its workforce , decreasing its strength from 4,000 to 1,500.