IBM Lays Off Over 1000 Jobs in U.S. and Canada

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has fired more than 1,000 workers in North America this week, according to an advocacy group for the company’s employees.

Going by Alliance@IBM, it is reported by Bloomberg that the job reductions are mostly in the U.S., with some in Canada. Alliance@IBM is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America.

At the end of 2011, IBM’s global workforce totaled over 426,000. In 2010, IBM - the world’s largest computer-services provider - stopped disclosing its specific U.S. head count.

According to the report in Computerworld, an IBM spokesman said in a statement that IBM is constantly rebalancing its workforce. The company further says: that means reducing in some areas and hiring in others -- based on shifts in technology and client demand.”

Last month IBM had reported fourth quarter operating net income of $4.71 per share compared to $4.25 per share in the previous year. IBM's revenue of $106.9 billion for 2011 was up 7 percent from 2010.