Forty-nine information technology (IT) workers were laid off this week by the University of California, San Francisco. They are going to be outsourcing that work to India in a five-year, $50 million contract with an India-based company. Part of that work also includes 48 positions that were either vacant or contracted out domestically.
The university announced the plan last July as a way to save $30 million over five years. The University of California system, which includes health care and research-focused UCSF, has been struggling to raise revenue and cut expenses.
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Kurt Ho, 58, a laid off systems administrator, carried a box of his personal items with an American flag draped over it, and said the university's decision will hurt service for a medical staff that relies on a smoothly running and secure computer network.
"It's a downgrading of services and a slap in the face for the customers," said Ho, who has worked in IT in the Bay Area for 25 years. He said he plans to look for a job but worries that outsourcing of IT services is a growing trend.
The Bay Area, home to Google, can’t even get Google fiber broadband competition against Comcast—think about that for a minute. Donald Trump and Washington’s punditry couldn’t be reached for comment on account of the massive hangovers they were suffering from last night’s ecstasy-rave-drum-circle.