IBM offers laid-off workers a job -- overseas

Among the countries where laid off IBM workers could find jobs are Argentina, Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates, the Web site says.

That's right, we are exporting our unemployed. And there are plenty of IBM workers who apply for these jobs, which probably pay lower wages than the U.S. jobs and offer fewer protections for workers. More than 4,200 jobs have recently been chopped by the Armonk, NY-based company, according to the union-backed Alliance @ IBM.

IBM recently reported better-than-expected fourth quarter earnings. The company is more than willing to move jobs to lower-cost countries. There have been rumors that U.S. IBM employees have been asked to train workers in lower-wage countries such as India to do their jobs. IBM also "re-balances" its workforce by cutting jobs in some places and adding jobs in others.

There is no doubt that other companies will follow IBM's idea, particularly as the economy worsens. Unemployment has just jumped to 7.6% in January, and already is hitting double digits in places such as Michigan and California.

Not only will people be willing to leave the country to find a good job, they will line up around the block to do so.