BANGOR, Maine — Verizon abruptly outsourced its retail operation in Waterville Thursday, eliminating the local jobs of all its employees, just one week after shutting down its call center in Bangor.
“The Waterville store is transitioning from a Verizon Wireless store to an authorized retailer location,” David Weissmann, Verizon public relations manager for the northeast market, said in an email.
Weissmann declined to say how many employees were affected at the Waterville store but said all were offered other jobs elsewhere within the company or a severance package.
“When the transition is complete the store will be staffed by the independent retailer,” he said. “We are working with employees to find new positions within the organization or they can choose to receive a compensation package.”
One Waterville employee contacted the Bangor Daily News Thursday to say workers had not been informed about the move and were laid off when they arrived to work that morning.
“[The Waterville store] will remain in the community to assist customers with their Verizon Wireless accounts,” Weissmann said. He added that “it is the only Maine store going through the transition at this time.”
Verizon Wireless announced six months ago that all 218 Bangor employees were given an opportunity to relocate to 16 other Verizon call centers around the country, but the number who actually decided to move was not available Thursday.
“I do not have a firm, final number on how many took advantage of this opportunity,” Kim Ancin, another Verizon spokesperson, said in an email. “Employees were notified in October of last year and were given up to last Friday to make that decision.”