Tag Archives: layoff

Source: BBVA Compass outsources IT help desk

bbva compass signWe’ve learned that BBVA Compass plans to announce that it will be outsourcing its IT (information technology) help desk. The decision would affect between 25-40 of the multinational bank’s employees in Birmingham, AL. Those employees would have the option of applying for work with the firm that has been awarded the account but would only be guaranteed no more than 60 days of work.

The story sounds similar to one that occurred last fall in Decatur, AL when 35 employees were told they would be laid off by the end of the year. Some of those jobs were moved to Texas with others outsourced to Atento, a unit of a Spain-based telecommunications and technology giant. By the way, BBVA Compass’ parent company is based in Spain.

We’ll update as more information becomes available.

Sidewalk, Lipstick make changes

While we first heard rumblings about the possible firing of Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival executive director Catherine Pfitzer on Wednesday evening, this post from Wade on Birmingham confirmed it on Saturday morning. Pfitzer had served as the executive director for the organization for approximately two years and had held other positions with the film festival. Wade’s post includes excerpts from the email announcement as well as one from Pfitzer thanking supporters and encouraging them to continue to support the festival. Entries are already being accepted for this year’s edition, scheduled for September 25-27.

The other surprising news this past week was of the shut down of one of Birmingham’s newest magazines, Lipstick, as confirmed on the Media of Birmingham blog. The March issue will be the publication’s last. The entire staff was laid off as of Friday and former editor Tina Hatch reflected on it via her blog.

UPDATE: BBVA Compass announces layoffs

Yep, that’s the word we’ve just received – BBVA Compass will announce plans to lay off nearly 10% of their workforce as early as later today. NOTE: They did announce it today – here’s NBC 13’s account via the Associated Press and The Birmingham News‘ post on their breaking news blog, where they confirm that 200 of the jobs will be lost in the Birmingham area.

We’re awaiting confirmation. It would be a major amount of cuts as well, reportedly 10% reduction in current staff numbers. When the last round of job cuts were announced in late November, the bank was reportedly employing more than 13.000 people across six states.

Sources report that internal emails indicated that 1,200 positions would be eliminated with individual notifications made “over the next couple of weeks.”  Severance and placement services were also offered.