IBM workers are shocked at job cuts straight after the
company issuedglowing fourth quarter financial
results, says employee union
Alliance@IBM.
The first cuts of an expected
16,000 layoffs have been made in the Software Group and Sales
and Distribution in the US and Canada.
"Many employees were shocked because they wrongfully believed
that a good financial report would save their jobs," said Lee
Conrad, Alliance@IBM national co-ordinator.
More group cuts are expected as well as individual terminations
called management initiated separations, he said.
IBM still has not publically announced the number or location of
these job cuts, which Conrad said was unacceptable.
"IBM receives tax breaks in the US and should be required to
disclose the number and location of the job cuts and if the work is
being shifted offshore," he said.
The union's website is filled with postings by disgruntled
employees hit by the job cuts. "We got hit today... 10% of the
group got let go," read one typical posting.