Siemens has confirmed reports from last week that a large reduction in its workforce will take place. The global workforce will be reduced by about 16,750 jobs. The mostly administrative cuts will include about 2,800 in the healthcare division worldwide, Aunt Minnie reports. Of that figure about 1,200 will come from Europe and the rest from outside the EU.

As reported in DOTmed Online News last week, Siemens is paring its staff to boost competitiveness and respond to global economic pressures. Last fall the company said it needed to reduce operating costs by about $1.9 billion by 2010. As part of that effort Siemens reorganized management and consolidated operations into three main units -- healthcare, energy, and industrial.

Siemens, based in Munich, currently employs more than 400,000 in 190 countries; the job reductions represent about 4% of the company's workforce. The company said it wants to move rapidly but at the same time will maximize retirement, attrition, and transfer options to minimize the number of workers laid off in the plan.

More Industry Headlines