Transcom closing its Sault call centre (updated)

Transcom is closing its Sault Ste. Marie call centre.

SooToday.com received word last evening that call centre employees were handed termination notices at their shift's end.

We spoke with Transcom media relations representative Caroline Spivak today, who told us the Sault call centre will close permanently at the end of June this year.

She stated the closure was due to "the client no longer requiring the work provided from that call centre."

A news release issued by Transcom on February 21 announced the closure of four North American call centres and stated that "in response to client demands, Transcom is planning to increase the number of agent positions at its Bacolod and Manila sites in the Philippines."

Spivak told us the Sault site closure and the increased Transcom employment anticipated in the Philippines are completely unrelated and separate issues.

On February 1, we were made aware that 144 employees were laid off at Transcom's call centre located in St. Catharines.

We spoke with Spivak at that time who told us that the circumstances leading to the St. Catharines lay-offs had no effect on the 169 call centre agents and management personnel employed in the Sault.

Spivak aslo told us the St. Catharines lay-offs were due to the transition of a major client to a global Transcom location.

Due to the company's confidentiality policy, she was unable to name the client in question.

However, that same day, Transcom home agents working in Sault Ste. Marie received termination notices via UPS.

A letter received by a home agent on February 1 stated: "...your employment with Transcom World Wide (North America) is being terminated effective 3/28/2012 due to client work leaving the home agent program and transitioning outside Canada."

Employees located at the local call centre site service a different client than those employed by the home agent program.