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IBM layoffs fly beneath radar

Legislators have questions; BigBlue has no comment

Jim Gordon

Apr-05-09, 07:00 PM

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Topics: Jobs

IBM is engaged in another round of layoffs, this time reportedly with up to 5,000 jobs slated to be lost in this country, according to unofficial tallies, drawing calls for state hearings and federal investigations into whether the company is improperly shedding American jobs, even as it accepts tens of millions of dollars from New York tate and seeks federal government stimulus money.

Assemblyman Greg Ball, whose 99^th Assembly district encompasses parts of Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties is ranking Republican member of the Assembly committee on corporations, authorities and commissions. He said the committee should hold hearings about IBM’s agreement last summer to accept some $45 million in state funding in return for job retention in the Empire State.

“It seems IBM has a long-term approach to off-shoring a large component of their American operations to India, but meanwhile, New York state just cut them a check to keep those jobs stateside,” said Ball. He said that while the deal announced last summer between New York and IBM only guaranteed the jobs through the end of 2008, the fact IBM began cutting jobs in early 2009 “may have met the letter of the law, but it didn’t meet the spirit.”

IBM spokesman Doug Shelton did not return a call seeking comment.

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