[Shlooky]

CBC My Region - BlackBerry announces 80 more layoffs in Waterloo

BlackBerry announces 80 more layoffs in Waterloo

CBC News

Posted: Dec 10, 2013 9:36 AM ET
Last Updated: Dec 10, 2013 9:36 AM ET

Blackberry 10 showoff
Another 80 employees were laid off at smartphone maker BlackBerry's Waterloo headquarters Tuesday. The company said the latest staff reduction is part of an ongoing effort to reduce its global workforce by 4500 people. (Nathan Danette/Canadian Press)

Waterloo-based smartphone maker BlackBerry has confirmed it has laid off 80 of its employees this week as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce its global workforce by 4,500.

BlackBerry said in an email the cuts this week include "approximately 80 employees in Waterloo," adding "we are in a period of transition and we must focus on enhancing our financial results to be in a better position to compete in this current mobile environment."

"We recognize our local employees’ hard work on behalf of our company and the difficulty of this news," the statement said.

In a deal struck with Fairfax Financial in November, BlackBerry agreed to hire John Chen as its new interim chief executive. Chen is the former CEO of Sybase, a money-losing company that he led into the profitable sector of business software for mobile devices. He is charged with the task of finding a new CEO for BlackBerry and orchestrating a turnaround.

BlackBerry has been in the process of reducing its expenses in an effort to refocus the business, a move which has included laying off 40 per cent of its staff, or about 4,500 employees.

Fairfax Financial backed off a proposal to buy the company and take it private, but agreed to a $1-billion finance package to buy the company time to restructure

[BergerKing]

Sadly, sometimes a necessity when restructuring. Get the company healthy, and weather the storm.

[Taigatrommel]

Well if they carry on with this, they soon won't have any employees left who they could fire.

Posted via the awesome Blackberry Q10

[Fuzzballz]

Well if they carry on with this, they soon won't have any employees left who they could fire.

Yeah that's called "going out of business" and will likely take place in 2014.

[SirJes]

U know that thing...that stays around after moving on, just to talk about how glad they are they moved on? U know what I'm talking about?

CLICK HERE To Join My Music & Poetry Channel. Please&Thanks.

[playbookster]

Well if they carry on with this, they soon won't have any employees left who they could fire.

Posted via the awesome Blackberry Q10

They are eliminating 4500 jobs. It's part of restructuring. These 80 positions are just part of the greater plan, it's not something new.

Sent from my Z30

[sixpacker]

They are eliminating 4500 jobs. It's part of restructuring. These 80 positions are just part of the greater plan, it's not something new.

Sent from my Z30

So Chen is sticking with the old job loss plan.
Given redundancies coupled with engineers leaving in large numbers it's hard to see how they will anything but a small niche player in the near future.

[playbookster]

So Chen is sticking with the old job loss plan.
Given redundancies coupled with engineers leaving in large numbers it's hard to see how they will anything but a small niche player in the near future.

That is exactly what they are trying to become

Sent from my Z30

[notafanboy]

They are eliminating 4500 jobs. It's part of restructuring. These 80 positions are just part of the greater plan, it's not something new.

Sent from my Z30

This is old news. Yeah they are now laying off 80 people more from the planned 4500. When you compare BlackBerry manpower compared to Google or others in the industry you quickly see BlackBerry was grossly over roll with excess manpower. They are reducing it to more in line with the industry. Losing a job is never nice and I hope they bounce back but this needs to be Done.

Posted via CB10

[20degrees]

U know that thing...that stays around after moving on, just to talk about how glad they are they moved on? U know what I'm talking about?

CLICK HERE To Join My Music & Poetry Channel. Please&Thanks.

Ex girlfriend?

Looking for the real vijik. Q10

[Its Spade]

Yeah that's called "going out of business" and will likely take place in 2014.

Fuzzballz!? More like BuzzKill

Squircle device powered by 10.2.1.1055

[jedi365]

Well if they carry on with this, they soon won't have any employees left who they could fire.

Posted via the awesome Blackberry Q10

Mmmm maybe they are letting go of everyone so they can move the manufacturering to China or such like........just a thought

Posted via CB10

[SirJes]

Ex girlfriend?

Looking for the real vijik. Q10

It feels like that...a lot of cb members have become just that

CLICK HERE To Join My Music & Poetry Channel. Please&Thanks.

[qwerty4ever]

They are eliminating 4500 jobs. It's part of restructuring. These 80 positions are just part of the greater plan, it's not something new.

Sent from my Z30

I'm sure Jim Jones told his followers the same thing much to their eventual chagrin.

Posted via CB10

[donmateo]

Going lean is not going out of business. The sooner people open a business dictionary, the sooner we stop ignorant comments.

[anon(5818411)]

Going lean is not going out of business. The sooner people open a business dictionary, the sooner we stop ignorant comments.

Well said.

Now a days this is normal to be laying off a bunch or people, closing down factories.

Everyone is going lean. You see this trend with every big company.
Like a couple hours ago I just heard on the radio that kellogs (sells cerals like frosed flakes) is shutting down a factory around Cambridge or London ontario I forget. 500 jobs will be gone.

Posted via CB10

[TGR1]

Has BlackBerry stated when these layoffs will be completed? I can't find any reference in the articles I have browsed. These occasional small scale cuts can be more painful because those remaining just don't know when the axe will fall and on whom.

Either they decided x had to go to satisfy the books and are assessing and cutting on the fly or else groups are being let go as their projects wind up.

[Its Spade]

It sux that people lose their jobs.. but I'm sure when BlackBerry turns around.. they will start hiring again...

Squircle device powered by 10.2.1.1055

[Dave Bourque]

It sux that people lose their jobs.. but I'm sure when BlackBerry turns around.. they will start hiring again...

Squircle device powered by 10.2.1.1055

Hoping that 2015 will be that time.

Z10STL100-3/10.2.0.1803

[sixpacker]

Has BlackBerry stated when these layoffs will be completed? I can't find any reference in the articles I have browsed. These occasional small scale cuts can be more painful because those remaining just don't know when the axe will fall and on whom.

Either they decided x had to go to satisfy the books and are assessing and cutting on the fly or else groups are being let go as their projects wind up.

I think they are still trying to find a buyer for some divisions. If they can't then they'll shut them down. They'll make a decision "soon".

[TGR1]

I think they are still trying to find a buyer for some divisions. If they can't then they'll shut them down. They'll make a decision "soon".

It's taking more effort than I want to spend on counting the tally so far but I am pretty sure they are nowhere near 4500 yet. I don't think there will be much of an impact showing up on the earnings report. I understand that the quickest way to conserve cash is reduce head count but am puzzled as to the benefit of the strategy BBRY is using.

Totally not my field of expertise so would welcome other opinion.

[qwerty4ever]

That is exactly what they are trying to become

Sent from my Z30

But Fairfax Financial Holdings, Prema Watsa, and the other "loan sharks" won't appreciate the tiny return on their investment when the market is a niche. If you though the blood-letting was bad in 2011-2013, wait until 2014-2015. BlackBerry will be seized by a government via the NSA/CSEC/GCHQ depending upon which organization is most palpable to each nation's political and corporate classes. BlackBerry was a niche player at its inception, attempted to move into the broader marketplace, failed miserably, and no company ever returns successfully to a niche role. Not even Apple; you'll notice the company broadened its markets outside of desktop and notebook computers to include music players, smartphones, network devices, cloud services, and more. BlackBerry is not a start-up. Maybe John Chen can work miracles...time will tell.

[qwerty4ever]

Now a days this is normal to be laying off a bunch or people, closing down factories. Everyone is going lean. You see this trend with every big company.
Posted via CB10

Do you see the executive's paycheques getting leaner due to their continual poor performance? No, they get bonuses for laying off their workforce. Big business is corrupt to the core. The 2008 financial crisis would have cleaned out these corporations and their blood-sucking executive class but governments around the world intervened and propped up the "investment industry". The moment BlackBerry was in trouble Mike and Jim should have made the courageous decision to fire every management-class person in the organization all the way down the chain of command. Obviously the management team throughout the company had failed to fulfill their obligations.

[WZFoster]

One point of good news, BlackBerry is hiring 24 interns. Or at least has posting for 24 positions.

[anon(5818411)]

Do you see the executive's paycheques getting leaner due to their continual poor performance? No, they get bonuses for laying off their workforce. Big business is corrupt to the core. The 2008 financial crisis would have cleaned out these corporations and their blood-sucking executive class but governments around the world intervened and propped up the "investment industry". The moment BlackBerry was in trouble Mike and Jim should have made the courageous decision to fire every management-class person in the organization all the way down the chain of command. Obviously the management team throughout the company had failed to fulfill their obligations.

You have a point but in business it just doesn't work like that.. which is why we are seeing many top heavy companies these days.

Posted via CB10