UPDATE: Staff report CSC axing 150-170 local workers

CSC president Nick Wilkinson continues to refuse to comment on the restructure, but yesterday afternoon held meetings and sent communications to staff after iTnews reported the cost-cutting plans.

Sources suggest the 300 figure originally purported to refer to the amount of staff being axed instead refers to the amount of staff directly affected by the restructure of CSC's local operations.

Staff communications suggest that 150 to 170 staff will be made redundant.

Of the remainder, staff will be reassigned new roles in the company - potentially replacing contractors whose positions are not renewed.

One CSC contractor in contact with iTnews said the IT services company has been gradually letting contractors go since January.

In the absence of any comment from CSC's local president Nick Wilkinson, we present you in full the optimistic message he sent to the news media just 12 days before the restructure.

"Friday, April 17, 2009.

Today at CSC, we proudly celebrate our 50^th anniversary globally and 39 years here in Australia.  With 92,000 employees globally and over 3,000 in Australia, few companies in our industry can lay claim to such a rich legacy of excellence in innovation, financial performance and customer service.

Our founders Fletcher Jones and Roy Nutt started with $100 fifty years ago. We have since grown into a successful business solutions, technology and outsourcing company.

We have had the privilege of working with some of Australia's largest and most complex company operations like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, AMP, Allianz, BlueScope Steel and GE - not to mention the Department of Immigration & Citizenship, Australian Defence Force, Water Corporation and WA Police in the government sector.

We partner with the best, including SAP, Microsoft, CISCO, HP, Sun, IBM and Oracle and continue to remain relevant to our customers by working to keep them at the leading edge of technology and business solutions.

We are confident that our solid financial standing, experience and reputation will enable us to play an even greater part in bringing real value to our customers in the coming year. We will work alongside them to help eliminate costs, optimise their IT portfolio and improve profitability - needs which are becoming ever increasing critical priorities as economic pressures grow.

This year looks like a banner year for CSC - despite the global financial crisis - and we are happy to celebrate our 50^th birthday globally and 39 memorable years in Australia.

Kind regards,

Nick Wilkinson
President & CEO, Australia Group
CSC"