Speculation is growing that microchip maker Intel is to announce sweeping job cuts today.
The company employs around 5,500 people at its European flagship plant in Leixlip, Co Kildare. There is speculation that worldwide up to 10 per cent of staff could be offered redundancy.
A worker at the Intel plant in Leixlip Co Kildare
Intel Ireland, last week described media reports of layoffs in Co Kildare as "speculation" and declined to comment on whether Ireland would be affected.
The Irish operation has largely been spared in previous rationalisation measures, but part of Intel's failing flash memory division in based in Co Kildare. However, most of the plant's production is chipsets and microprocessors.
The company is expected to slash its 100,000-strong workforce after second-quarter net profit fell 56 per cent as it cut prices to compete with arch rival Advanced Micro Devices.
"One person close to the company said employees were due to be briefed on the situation today when they return from the Labor Day holiday," the Financial Timessaid today.
The report quoted market estimates that around 10,000 workers could lose their jobs under a new, global round of layoffs.
In Malaysia, one newspaper reported this week, up to 2,000 Intel workers would be offered voluntary layoffs. Some Intel Malaysia employees had already received their offers, the Starnewspaper said.
Estimates by Wall Street analysts have put the size of the cuts anywhere from a few thousand to 16,000 employees.