Rumor Control: IBM To Lay Off 150,000?

Robert X. Cringely, purveyor of wild business scenarios and suggestions, says he actually has a solid rumor to float: IBM will layoff about 150,000 workers.

"This is according to my many friends at Big Blue, who believe they are about to undergo the biggest restructuring of IBM since the Gerstner days… All this is supposed to happen by the end of 2007, by the way, at which point IBM will also freeze its U.S. pension plan."

In addition to Cringely’s claims of inside information, he also opines that the move would make sense as the historic tech company looks to boost its stock price. Look, we don’t know if old X. Cringely is on the mark, he’s told some whoppers before. But even the boy who cried wolf was right once, and Cringely's analysis this time isn’t as starry-eyed as usual, so this might be worth listening to.