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by Caroline May 2 Mar 2016

In a letterthis week to Miles D. White, the Chairman and CEO of Abbott Laboratories, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) pressed the company to rethink the mass layoff and “retain these U.S. workers, who have dedicated years of loyal service to your company.”

“I am deeply concerned about reports that Abbott Labs is laying off 180 Information Technology (IT) employees and replacing them with temporary foreign workers who, after they are trained, will then do these jobs outside the United States,” Durbin wrote.

In his missive, the Illinois lawmaker laid out what he understands Abbott’s plans are:

-You have given 180 U.S. employees 60-days notice, and their last day of employment at Abbott Labs will be April 22, 2016.

-To add insult to injury, the Abbott Labs IT staff who will be laid off will first be forced to train their replacements.

-You have awarded Wipro Ltd, a large Indian outsourcing firm, with a contract to take over the jobs of these American workers.

-You are offering the U.S. workers severance of a week’s pay for each year they spent at the company, but in order to receive this severance you are requiring these employees to sign away their right to sue or disparage the company. The severance packet you gave your workers contains a full-page ad listing jobs at Wipro.

-The people you are laying off have stellar experience, credentials, and performance reviews, and some have been with your company for 15-20 years.

Durbin further recalled hearing about the layoffs from witness testimony during last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the impact H-1B visas and other high skilled immigration have had on American workers.

“Just yesterday, we learned — and the senator might be interested that Abbott Labs in the Chicago area has — yesterday announced to its employees that it was canning 180 Americans and replacing them with H-1B workers,” John Miano, a Center for Immigration Studies expert, testified Thursday after reeling off a list of other companies, such as Southern California Edison and Disney, that have terminated U.S. workers for foreign replacements.

Durbin’s letter and request for reconsideration, as Miano pointed out, follows a long line of companies that have similarly engaged in this practice. Durbin and a bipartisan group of senators including Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) 80^%, have been voicing concern, calling for investigations and offering legislation to address the ongoing “abuse” of high skilled guest worker programs.

“I will continue to push for legislation to reform the H-1B and L-1 visa programs, but the gaps in current law are no excuse for your company to treat your employees so unfairly,” Durbin added. “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. Once again, I urge you to restore the jobs of these 180 American IT employees who have served your company with skill and loyalty for many years.  I look forward to your prompt response.

UPDATE:

In a statement provided to Breitbart News after publication of this story, spokesman John Koval did not address Dubin’s letter but rather explained Abbott’s recent actions as part of its common business practices.

“Abbott regularly evaluates its competitive position and makes changes that reflect the strategic needs of its business,” Koval emailed. “We recently outsourced some IT capabilities.  We’re retaining the vast majority of our U.S.-based IT jobs.”

Miles D. White is the chairman & CEO for Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Note: Sally Blount is a director at Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

W. James Farrellis a director at Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Edward M. Liddy is a director at Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

William A. Osbornis a director at Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Samuel C. Scott III is a director at Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Glenn F. Tiltonis a director at Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Christopher B. Begley was a SVP at Abbott Laboratories, and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

William M. Daleywas a director at Abbott Laboratories, the chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Jack M. Greenbergwas a director at Abbott Laboratories, and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Robert L. Parkinson Jr. was the president & COO for Abbott Laboratories, and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

William D. Smithburg was a director at Abbott Laboratories, and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Penny S. Pritzkeris a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Barack Obama administration, was the national finance chair, fundraiser for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a co-chair for the 2009 Barack Obama inaugural committee, a fundraiser, national co-chair for the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a contributor for the 2013 Barack Obama inaugural committee, the host for the Barack Obama fund-raising dinner, 7/2/2008, Craig M. Robinson’s basketball coach for the children's team, and a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.  

Craig M. Robinson’s basketball coach to his children's team was Penny S. Pritzker, and is Michelle Obama’s brother.

Michelle Obama is Craig M. Robinson’s sister, and was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.           

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.    

Miles D. White is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the chairman & CEO for Abbott Laboratories.  

Covington & Burling LLP was the lobby firm for Abbott Laboratories.  

Eric H. Holder Jr.is a partner at Covington & Burling LLP, was a board member for the American Constitution Society, an intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and was the attorney general at the Barack Obama administration.

Faith Elizabeth Gay is a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society, and was an attorney at Sidley Austin LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP was the lobby firm for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Abbott Laboratories is a member of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the American Constitution Society, and the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.   

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the Economic Policy Institute.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle,a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

Valerie B. Jarrettis a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and her great uncle is Vernon E. Jordan Jr.  

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Abbott Laboratories is a member of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Miles D. White is the chairman & CEO for Abbott Laboratories, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.   

James S. Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the vice chairman for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Lester Crownis a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).  

Andrew L. Stern was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a director at the Economic Policy Institute, and is a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Richard J. Durbinis a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, and a senator for the IL congressional delegation.

IL congressional delegation is the delegation for the State of Illinois.

Illinois state government is the government for the State of Illinois.

Patrick Quinnwas the governor for the Illinois state government, and a revenue director for Chicago (IL).

Rahm I. Emanuelis the Chicago (IL) mayor, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was the White House chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration.  

Richard M. Daleywas the Chicago (IL) mayor, Michelle Obama was his staffer, and Valerie B. Jarrett was his deputy chief of staff, is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and William M. Daley’s brother.

William M. Daleyis Mayor Richard M. Daley’s brother, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, was the chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, and a director at Abbott Laboratories.

Miles D. White is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the chairman & CEO for Abbott Laboratories.