Employee group: IBM makes job cuts at Columbia service delivery center

According to a Bloomberg report, IBM began job cuts across the United States Thursday as part of a $1 billion restructuring plan to meet the company’s profit goals.

Alliance@IBM, an employee group, said cuts have been made in 10 cities so far, including Columbia.

A reported 12 jobs were cut in Columbia. But IBM hasn’t confirmed the estimate.

In June, at least 10 workers were laid off from the Columbia IBM facility. Lee Conrad, the national coordinator for Alliance@IBM, told ABC 17 News additional layoffs may happen.

In 2010, IBM and city and state leaders announced the creation of IBM’s Information Technology Service Delivery Center on Lemone Industrial Boulevard. The company told the city and state it would create 800 jobs.

In return for the 800 jobs, the state is offering the company more than $28 million in incentives.

But IBM would not confirm how many employees are currently at the Columbia facility.

The city bought the building for $3.2 million and is leasing it to IBM for one dollar a year.

While the company would not confirm any details regarding layoffs, an IBM spokesperson said in a statement the company is “re-balancing its workforce to meet the changing requirements of its clients.”

According to the Bloomberg report, IBM has had seven straight quarters of falling revenue.

The company has already eliminated jobs this year in Europe, Asia and South America, according to the labor organization Alliance@IBM.