IBM France SA has called a meeting for November 3 with its management-workers council to present its human resources adaptation plan for 1993. The plan, which IBM France emphasises does not involve layoffs, still provides for staff reductions of 1,500 people via early and voluntary retirement, and attrition which accounts for 200 to 300 people annually. Without talking about layoffs, IBM France plans to propose original initiatives to the council that would facilitate changing the full-time status of some workers to part time. After a two-year freeze on hiring, IBM plans to hire 200 young graduates to replace those it has lost by attrition, said an IBM France spokeswoman. IBM France cut its staff by 2,400 last year and will get rid of another 2,300 this year. Since the end of 1986, IBM France has seen its staff drop to 18,757 from 21,859, and only 16,634 are full time workers. Under French law, the council, or comite central d’entreprise, must approve the staff reduction plan. IBM said there would likely be no decision until mid-December.
