the salary is the same for h1b as for the American workers. it is part of the rules of h1b. americans are simply less skilled therefore nobody wants them for those jobs that h1bs compete for.
I agree that H1B salaries are as good as an American citizen would make. I have worked in top telecom companies in US and have been involved in hiring engineers. The managers look at the resume and pick the one they like, and they hire the person they like (which is often the case that the best fit candidate is the one with good qualifications - a Masters or a PhD in engineering plus also is more desperate to work). If anything, companies would rather not hire the people who need H1B , but it so happens that the best candidates are the ones that need H1B. I feel for that lady being described in the article, who is in the late 50s and ran out of her benefits. I hope things work out for her and she finds good work. I however, have a problem with her case that she worked in a large telecom company and is in late 50s, and within 2-3 years, she lost her car. What was she doing with all the money she was getting paid? At her age and with the work at a large company that pays very well, she should be able to sustain herself for years and years, not to mention she was getting the UI. Then, let us talk about the illegals in the restaurant industry, they fill your water glasses, they have very very good etiquette, they pick up the dirty dishes and clean the tables, and they work non stop and make 8 dollars an hour. We have to all adjust our expectations of our standard of living. What has been true in the past is not going to be true going forward, sadly...