Walmart announced this week the elimination of 300 positions in northwest Arkansas as part of a company effort "to eliminate duplication, reduce costs, and shift work closer to the operating units," according to a
statement issued Wednesday from Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke.
As part of the organizational restructuring, 30 to 40 employees from the Bartlesville administration offices received notices on Wednesday of their layoffs.
"These 30 to 40 are a part of the 300 we reported yesterday from the home office in Bentonville, Ark.," Walmart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez told KJRH on Thursday, explaining the employees were considered part of the home office.
This round of layoffs were "the last major strategic piece" of Walmart's restructuring, Duke said in his statement.
Walmart Stores, Inc. operates more than 4,200 facilities in the U.S. and employs more than 2 million associates worldwide, 1.4 million nationally, and -- as of Jan. 2010 -- 31,686 in Oklahoma.
Walmart reported nearly $401 billion in sales for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2009.
