Telstra closes Maroochydore call centre

The Sunshine Coast Daily reports that Telstra's call center, employing more than 80 employees has been closed as part of Telstra's program to eliminate 12,000 employees over the next five years. This is another example of the ongoing costs that the Australian community are being made to bear fro the privatisation of Telstra. For further information see www.citizensagainstsellingtelstra.com. 13 Dec 2006 By Carolyn Tucker Telstra's call centre in Maroochydore is no more. Staff clocked off for the last time at the Beach Road premises yesterday when the ƒsfinal shift ended at 11am ¡V two months after they were notified that the centre would be closed as part of a review of Telstra's operations. The call centre opened 10 years ago and more than 80 employees were affected by the decision. Some have secured jobs at small local call centres and others accepted the company's redundancy package while a handful will join the unemployment queue in the lead-up to Christmas. Queensland regional director of the Community and Public Sector Union, Bill Marklew said he had visited staff at the office last week and there had been "an air of acceptance" about their fate. "I was there on Friday and they were setting up for a wake that evening," he said. "A few people had accepted job offers at small call centres around the place and the community had rallied around to help them - there's no two ways about that. "I believe they were contacted by a wine supplier who needed a couple of people and other unions have rung in saying staff were needed. "I think some have also been employed at the police call centre." Mr Marklew said Telstra had offered some help through its employee assistance program and the staff did not appear to harbour any hostility over their treatment. "Basically everything that could be done was done and the staff realised that it wasn't a decision that was made locally," he said. Mr Marklew maintained there were no genuine grounds for the decision to shut down the telecommunication giant's largest office on the Sunshine Coast. "This decision was not based on productivity or work ethic. This office had won awards for its performance and I don't believe it was a business imperative," he said. "It was just a business decision made by people in ivory towers in Sydney." Telstra Countrywide area general manager Jason Law was not involved in the decision and was unavailable for comment.