Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

'Lots Of Hugs' As Shuttered Cape Breton Call Centre Reopens Under New Ownership

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Jan, 2019 07:43 PM

    SYDNEY, N.S. — A shuttered call centre in Cape Breton came back to life Wednesday, weeks after its previous owner abruptly closed the facility and tossed hundreds of people out of work just before the holiday season.


    Workers showing up for their 9:30 a.m. shifts filed into the newly minted Sydney Call Centre Inc., the site of the former ServiCom centre that closed without notice on Dec. 6.


    Todd Riley, vice-president of operations, said about 275 people were expected to report for work Wednesday out of about 465 that have been hired back so far.


    He said some were so excited to get back to work that they showed up an hour early.


    "It was fantastic — there were a lot of hugs, a lot of people saying, 'Thank you' and 'I'm so happy to be back,'" Riley said of the mood in the big, open office space.


    "It's definitely brighter days ahead for everybody in this call centre and I really think people rallied and stuck by each other."


    Iowa businessman Anthony Marlowe confirmed on Dec. 23 that he bought the former ServiCom call centre in an auction that was part of the company's bankruptcy proceedings in the United States.


    Marlowe Companies Inc. said earlier this week that more than 450 people have already applied for positions at the Sydney Call Centre.


    If hired over the next month, workers with call centre experience from the last 90 days will receive a $300 starting bonus, along with the base pay and vacation levels from their previous employer and improved benefits.


    The starting wage for newly hired workers will increase to $12 per hour from $11 per hour.


    All work programs will restart by Jan. 14, and the company is still accepting applications. Riley's hoping to return to employment levels that reached about 650 last March by this March and April.


    "We had a real good response from people who wanted to come back, so the second piece of this now is working to get all those guys back on payroll ASAP," Riley said.


    Employees are handling calls for OnStar and AT&T, and details are being finalized for two other clients. Riley said the company is even looking to expand in other parts of Canada, but didn't offer any details.


    "We will be looking at options for potentially more sites in the Canadian demographic, so there's a lot of things that are going to happen," he said.


    MCI had been in negotiations to buy the call centre in the weeks before its sudden closure, which left about 600 people unemployed and without their last paycheques. Marlowe offered $1.5 million for the idled call centre, outbidding two other interested buyers.


    The sale was a relief to many in the community, which has suffered from chronic levels of high unemployment and offered few options for the laid-off workers.


    Most of the workers were owed about four weeks in back pay, a liability that Marlowe's company said rests with ServiCom.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Delta Police Officer Raises Concerns About Online Weed Edible Sales

    Delta Police Officer Raises Concerns About Online Weed Edible Sales
    DELTA, B.C. — Const. Derek Gallamore was shocked when his department in Delta, B.C., busted a woman allegedly selling weed-laced brownies with 40 times the recommended single dose of THC.

    Delta Police Officer Raises Concerns About Online Weed Edible Sales

    Port Coquitlam Man Charged For Poppy Donation-Box Theft

    Port Coquitlam Man Charged For Poppy Donation-Box Theft
    A three-week investigation into a poppy donation-box theft at a Coquitlam library has resulted in charges against a Port Coquitlam man.

    Port Coquitlam Man Charged For Poppy Donation-Box Theft

    Remains Found Of Manitoba Woman Who Vanished More Than Three Years Ago

    Remains Found Of Manitoba Woman Who Vanished More Than Three Years Ago
    WINNIPEG — Police say the remains of a Winnipeg woman who disappeared more than three years ago have been found in a remote area southeast of the city.

    Remains Found Of Manitoba Woman Who Vanished More Than Three Years Ago

    Kevin Alexander Roberts, Prince George Trucker, Charged With Sex Assault

      Vancouver police renew call for witnesses, victims in historic sexual assault investigation

    Kevin Alexander Roberts, Prince George Trucker, Charged With Sex Assault

    Surrey RCMP Partners With ICBC To Participate In High Risk Driving Campaign

    Surrey RCMP Partners With ICBC To Participate In High Risk Driving Campaign
    The Surrey RCMP, along with its partners, continue to focus on traffic safety with an education and enforcement campaign this week aimed at high risk driving behaviour.

    Surrey RCMP Partners With ICBC To Participate In High Risk Driving Campaign

    Abbotsford Police Report Series Of Break-Ins On Winfield Drive

    Abbotsford Police have noticed an increase in reported break-ins in the Winfield Drive area (near Whatcom Rd) of Abbotsford over the past month.

    Abbotsford Police Report Series Of Break-Ins On Winfield Drive