VMware Ireland Redundancies Threaten 364 People

Layoffs will impact more than a third of the VMware Ireland workforce following Broadcom's mega-acquisition of the virtualization provider.

VMware gave a collective redundancy notification on Monday Dec. 11, according to the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This came a few weeks after the company informed its employees that it had entered a consultation process.

The Irish Examiner reports that the redundancies impact 364 positions.

Simon Coveney

Simon Coveney, minister for enterprise, trade and employment, called the move a "significant blow."

Broadcom has not responded to a request for comment from Channel Futures as of press time.

VMware and Broadcom almost instantly disclosed job cuts in certain U.S. states due to WARN Act requirements. However, public notifications in other countries will take longer to emerge, as many countries require a "consultation" process like Ireland's.

The notice of 82 slashed Australian jobs last week took the total of confirmed post-merger cuts to 2,919 people. If all 364 Irish redundancies stay, confirmed layoffs would amount to 3,283.

Channel Futures is seeking confirmation on reported closures of offices in other countries.

VMware Ireland Impact

Irish media outlets state that VMware's office in Ballincollig, County Cork, was the company's third largest location. The company employed more than 1,000 people in Ireland.

Related:VMware Australia Layoffs Bring Total Over 2,900

"VMware are such a major employer in the area and it is sure to have a significant knock-on effect on the broader local economy," former Cork lord mayor Colm Kelleher told the Irish Examiner.

Coveney said VMware will work with IDA Ireland, the agency that handles foreign direct investment, to work out the collective redundancy process. That process is a 30-day period, he said.

"It is important to note that the workers involved are highly skilled and are likely to be sought after elsewhere in the broader economy. There are also a range of government supports available to anyone who is being made redundant, including assisting with appropriate training and development opportunities and income supports," Coveney said in a statement provided to Channel Futures.

The upside, some commenters shared, was that Broadcom is not closing down the Cork office.

In the meantime, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan told investors on an earnings call that the company is seeking buyers for its end-user computing and Carbon Black cybersecurity businesses.