Volt Workforce Solutions, believed to be the largest provider of Microsoft temporary workers, informed them tonight that it will be cutting their pay by 10 percent as a result of the Redmond company's decision to reduce the amount it pays employment firms. Volt joins most but not all of the other firms in deciding to pass some or all of the impact of the cuts on to their workers.

Read on for the full text of the message Volt sent to its Microsoft workers Friday evening.

Dear Volt Employees Assigned to Microsoft,

Every day when we read a newspaper or watch television, we hear about how the economy is experiencing considerable turmoil. Unemployment rates are at a 17 year high, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has plummeted 40% over the last 6 months. Many companies are faced with office closures, layoffs, and deep cost containment initiatives throughout corporate America and globally. Volt Workforce Solutions is not immune to these activities or their effects.

Microsoft, as a trailblazer in the information technology industry, has positively stimulated the economy for years. Notwithstanding, we all have to look at the economic conditions that currently surround us. At the request of Allegis/Microsoft we will participate in some key cost containment initiatives that include a reduction in billing for all current Volt Agency Temporary Workers (a-) assigned to Microsoft, effective March 16, 2009. In response to the cost containment initiatives, your Volt Employee Relations Representative or a Volt Representative will begin scheduling appointments with each of you to discuss how this impacts you.

We have evaluated all pay rates for our Microsoft agency temporary workers and have concluded that we will be asking each of you to share in these measures by accepting a 10% reduction in your pay rate. These reductions are very difficult for Volt to implement since we value each and every one of you; however this is mandatory in order to continue your assignment at Microsoft and to respond to this economic environment.

We want to support you in continuing your assignment at Microsoft and respectfully ask that you respond by going to the upper left hand corner of this email under the ?Vote? response option and select, ?Accept? by close of business Tuesday, March 3, 2009. By accepting you agree to the pay adjustment in your pay rate. Volt has prepared a formal written amendment to your employment agreement for your signature and will execute this amendment in your scheduled meeting.

We sincerely ask for your understanding in this matter. Please be advised that if any other changes do occur, we will notify you as soon as possible. If you would like clarification about this message, please email askvolt@volt.com. Please do not discuss this with your Microsoft manager, as they have been instructed to direct you to your employer (Volt) for clarification.

In closing, the world is struggling and we are challenged to consider the economy as a whole and what is happening beyond our own current situation. Please know that even though we are in an economic crisis, we will continue to work hard to identify new opportunities for employment as well as offer competitive pay for the advancement of your career.

Thank you and your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated,

Volt Workforce Solutions

Update: Microsoft contract workers to protest pay cuts in Redmond