Alorica closure delayed by a month

Approximately 400 employees of the NCO Financial Services were given a glimmer of hope that they would have continued employment when it was circulated that the closing date for the facility was being pushed back. However, they were disappointed when the company announced to staff that instead of closing its doors yesterday, June 29, the last day of operation in Antigua will now be on July 31 which is still just around the corner.
“It is not what we prayed for. Everyone was still coming to work hoping to convince the company that we were still committed to the job, but, our general manager started having meetings with small groups of staff, starting from around at 11 a.m. [yesterday] in her office to tell us that nothing else can be done. We have until next month end,” one staff told OBSERVER media.
Alorica, commonly known here as NCO call centre, in a statement to the media disclosed that after being in business in Antigua for 10 years, the cost of doing business here is just too much.
The California based company said it has been increasingly difficult to sustain operations in Antigua given the evolving market trends.
The company promises that all staff and supporting agents who provide financial services for Amazon and MetroPCS in the U.S., will be paid all entitlements up to July 31.
Alorica also committed to further providing medical insurance to all qualifying staff until October.
A source said that employees were informed at yesterday’s meetings that in mid-July the process of severance will begin and staff will be presented with an amount of the possible benefits they would receive.
The staff added that the management team said that from mid-July to the closing date it would assist staff with recommendation letters to seek alternative jobs.
Just last week, after news of the impending closure had been making the rounds, workers were officially notified that their last day of work would have been yesterday.
Gaston Browne, the prime minister, on his radio station said the company was closing because of the poor performance of staff, however, the company said this was not the case.
“The final decision of the site closure was not related to poor performance or lack of skills by Alorica employees, as it was apparently suggested over the media in the past few days,” the company said.
Staff told OBSERVER media that they learned the company was moving to Jamaica to cut cost.
The company said that since setting up shop in Antigua it injected more than U.S. $50 million and has employed over 3,000 staff.