Microsoft To Lay Off Floppy-Disk Workers

Microsoft Corp. on Thursday issued layoff notices to 120 of the 645 workers at its floppy-disk manufacturing plant in Bothell.

Company spokesman Greg Shaw said the layoffs stem from declining demand for software on 3.5-inch floppy disks as software is increasingly sold on CD-ROMs and being pre-loaded with new computers.

The trend away from floppy disks ultimately will also affect the company’s disk-making operations in Ireland and Puerto Rico, Shaw said, though he had no specific figures.

Microsoft said it will try to find new jobs inside the company for the laid-off workers.

Microsoft still plans to add 2,000 employees this year to its current work force of about 19,000, Shaw said.