Laid-off call centre employees in Kenora plan to go to the Ontario Ministry of Labour to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sudden closure of Atlantis Direct Call Centre. The company issued pink slips to 58 employees May 29 and put them on the street without their last pay cheque. The centre was in operation for less than a year.
Since the layoff notices were issued, doors were padlocked and phone lines have been disconnected.
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund provided funds to provide telecommunications equipment for the call centre. There has been no word from the company as to when operations will resume.
The centre opened in June, 2001 and was originally expected to provide 200 full-time jobs and cost just under $1 million to set up telemarketing, telephone survey and support line services for U.S. customers.
