Australia's EMC employees survive round of layoffs

19.10.2006
Australian employees at storage manufacturer EMC have survived large-scale sackings as the company prepares to axe as many as 1,250 jobs.

Despite a US$283.7 million third quarter net income which exceeded analyst predictions, the company will concentrate sackings on redundant middle management rather than research and development or customer-facing positions.

EMC Australia and New Zealand managing director David Webster said local jobs were safe because EMC Australia/New Zealand is in a strong position.

"We do not expect the recent employment cuts to impact local operations at this time," he said.

EMC CEO Joe Tucci said the job cuts announcement in the U.S. has surprised many of its 31,000 global staff.

The company, which has expanded into the information storage, protection, and security markets, has acquired $7 billion worth of investments since 2003 and now bills itself as an "information infrastructure company" rather than a storage vendor.