Is IBM set to layoff thousands of jobs?

International Business Machines Corp plans to cut “thousands” of staff in the UK, Germany and Ireland as it shifts jobs to eastern Europe, China, India and South America, the Observer reported.

Job reductions have already been carried out in western Europe and more will be made within months, the newspaper said, citing Lee Conrad of Alliance@IBM, a network for company employees.

Indian workers at the company earn about 10 per cent of the amount paid to US employees performing similar tasks, according to the newspaper.

An IBM official told the media that a number of US employees have been laid off, declining to comment on future job reductions.

London-based IBM spokesman Joe Hanley said IBM declined to comment on “speculation regarding resource actions.”

Agencies

Is Dell likely to cut 1,900 jobs from Ireland?

Dell Inc, the world's No. 2 PC maker, will cut about 1,900 of 3,000 jobs at its manufacturing plant in Limerick in the west of Ireland, Dell said on Thursday.

Dell, which ranks itself as Ireland's largest exporter, largest technology company and second largest company overall, said it would move production of computer systems for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to its Polish plant and third-party manufacturing partners.

Dell cut more than 8,000 jobs last year and struggled to regain market share it lost to larger rival Hewlett-Packard Co. It also said last year it would outsource more manufacturing to cut costs.

Agencies