Is the golden era of the IT worker over?

One of the most frequently used tag lines to accompany 'new economy' - which in itself is probably the most over-used term of the internet era - is 'global'.

IT people like 'global'. It's big. It means fast and up-to-the minute. It means more efficient economies and so on.

But it also means a lot more than just connecting your European headquarters in London with your US headquarters in New York so your employees can collaborate.

There is an increasing trend towards either relocating certain divisions to countries outside of the western world as well as employing people from countries where typically the pay is less than in western Europe and the US.

The economic downturn - which has knocked so many IT companies sideways - will not last forever. In the meantime, industry pundits will continue to fight about exactly when it's going to happen.

The story for the people dependent upon these companies for their livelihoods is quite different.

For those westerners used to nice plump salaries a permanent change might have taken place.

For example, companies are wising up to the cost-cutting benefits of outsourcing work to staff in India for certain activities. There are also, as silicon.com revealed with British Airways last month, those that are keen to employ foreign workers.

The cloud of a depressed economic climate will clear eventually but it looks like the golden days of salary hikes and job security for the IT worker may be over for good.