Oracle set to fire 2,000 workers

Oracle wants to be the biggest business software company

US software company Oracle is to fire 2,000 workers, or about 3% of its global workforce, as it looks to trim costs following its latest takeover.

Last year, Oracle paid $5.85bn (£3.3bn; 4.9bn euros) for Siebel Systems, taking on 4,700 of its rival's workers.

The reduction in head count is set to save Oracle, which sells software and services to automate tasks such as accounting, at least $400m a year.

Oracle has bought firms worth almost $20bn as it expands its business.

Clearer outlook

At the end of 2004, Oracle agreed to buy PeopleSoft, bringing to an end a bitter takeover battle that had rumbled on for some 18 months.

Following that move, the company also trimmed back its workforce and reorganised its businesses.

Oracle's chief financial officer Safra Catz said the company would employ about 55,000 workers following the cuts.

Chief executive Larry Ellison said that about 90 percent of Siebel's customer support, engineering and sales staff is being retained.

Most of the cuts will be among the Oracle developers working on customer relationship management software, he said.

Oracle already informed many of the workers who are losing their jobs and expects to complete the layoffs during the coming weeks.