Disney IT Jobs to Be Unloaded
Walt Disney Co. plans to outsource about 1,000 jobs in its information technology division to save costs, although the move is expected to result in minimal layoffs.
The company told employees in a meeting Thursday that most of the workers would be moved into new jobs with two vendors, IBM Corp. and Affiliated Computer Services Inc., after negotiations are completed this month.
Affected employees are in California, Florida and New York.
In an employee meeting in Orlando, Fla., Megan Barnett, a Disney vice president of human resources, sought to reassure employees about the change.
“You are in the IT business, but Disney is not,” Barnett said. “These are technology companies. They offer training that we couldn’t possibly supply.”
Disney’s move is in line with similar actions taken by other major corporations. It is expected to affect one-third of the division’s overall workforce.
The unit handles such services as desktop computer support and network management for the Burbank entertainment company’s far-flung businesses, which employ more than 100,000 people worldwide.
The outsourcing plan follows an 18-month review of Disney’s information technology unit as part of an “extensive process to evaluate how to better manage its demand and delivery of services,” said Disney spokeswoman Michelle Bergman.
Disney is expected to sign an agreement with the two vendors later this month, with the outsourcing planned to occur in mid-July.
Some workers may be offered jobs elsewhere at Disney or be laid off, the company told employees, but no numbers were provided.
Representatives of IBM and ACS declined to comment.
Orlando Sentinel staff writer Sarah Hale Meitner contributed to this report.
