IBM Layoffs To Come (Around 5,000)

By stephen on March 25th, 2009

In more bleak economic news, computer-giant IBM will be laying off around five thousand employees tomorrow (Thursday). These cuts will come from their U.S. Global Business Services Unit – a unit responsible for outsourcing and consulting services which also happens to be the largest department in IBM (in both revenues and employment). According to reports, some of these vacant jobs will go to India, the rest will remain vacant.

This news comes despite promising Fourth Quarter numbers for IBM as well as reported talks of IBM acquiring competitor Sun Microsystems. Further evidence that even growing companies are having trouble in today’s economic climate. This round of layoffs will represent about 4% of IBM’s current work force in the United States (115,000). IBM’s last round of layoffs occurred last January. 4,600 employees were let go at that time.

Currently, IBM’s representatives have no comment on the matter.