These Executives Were Made For Walking
animation stolen, with permission, from Gregg Sutter
Reuters, in a bid to save some bucks, recently announced that they'll be firing 20 editorial staffers in America and Europe, and replacing them with 60 new hires in India. Now, anyone who knows any "editorial staffers" know that they don't tend to be terribly well-compensated, say, compared to plumbers (or migrant workers, for that matter), so this is not exactly the brightest of ideas.
Luckily, David Cay Johnston figures out how Reuters can save some real money: "If Indian executives can be hired at the same wage discount ratio as Indian journalists then Reuters could expand its top level executive suite from four to 12 and still save $968,000," he writes. "That's more than four times what could be saved by outsourcing journalists."
Where's our first executive volunteer?!
I had the extreme misfortune of being interviewed by some kid from Reuters Health a few years ago. When I read the quotes he attributed to me, I wanted to crawl in a hole and hide from the world. Maybe they'd get decent reporters if they paid more (and stopped recruiting staff fresh out of high school).
Lena the Jaded Celebrity Epidemiologist at August 13, 2004 8:41 AM
Amy, if you have permission to take the animation, it isn't "stolen."
As for the outsourcing of jobs, that's really a shame. Since Americans are the ones who buy your products and the American government is the one that allows you to sell your wares to Americans, the least you can do is hire Americans.
So, Lena, tell us all, what did the snot-nosed hormone with feet fresh out high school attribute to you?
Patrick at August 13, 2004 7:31 PM
Something about the health hazards of silicone butt plugs, I believe.
Lena, the voyager at August 13, 2004 9:57 PM
Well, there was permission, but somewhat grudging permission, and monsieur Sutter asked me to credit it like so, so there you have it. (I'll be speaking English again by tomorrow, promise.)
Amy Alkon at August 14, 2004 12:51 AM