IBM France SA yesterday blamed the domestic economic downturn as well as stiff competition among computer manufacturers for its announcement that it plans to trim another 1,000 workers from its payroll by next March, adding to the 1,000 that it has already shed since its austerity programme was introduced at the beginning of 1991. The 2,000 represent about 10% of the total IBM France staff. The plan will be studied by European Community officials – and IBM France is one of the few subsidiaries that its unionised – and the unions have not yet agreed to the company’s plan.
