Skip to main content

Representative Costa, Senator Cannella and Assemblymember Gray Fight to Stop AT&T Call Center Closure

July 28, 2014

Merced, CA- Yesterday, Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) was joined by State Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) and State Assemblymember Adam Gray (D-Merced) in sending a letter to AT&T Assistant Vice President Jack Wright urging him to reconsider closing the company's call centers at the Castle Commerce Center in Atwater.

"For the second time, I have urged AT&T Assistant Vice President, Jack Wright, to reverse the decision to close the two call centers in Atwater. The positions at the AT&T call centers represent more than jobs; they are economic lifelines for the community," said Rep. Costa. "At a minimum, AT&T should keep the call centers open through the end of the calendar year so that employees have the necessary time to plan for their future and the future of their families."

Earlier this month, AT&T announced that the call centers would be closing by the end of August. At the urging of Rep. Costa, the employees were given until July 15, 2014, an eight day extension from the original date, to consider relocating to another call center in Southern California, Washington, Iowa, or Colorado. Merced County, which suffers from an unemployment rate of 12.5%, will not only lose approximately 400 jobs, but also hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual revenue from AT&T's lease.

###