Qwest to lay off 63 workers in Spokane-Call center business is down

Qwest Communications International Inc. will close its directory assistance call center in downtown Spokane.

The move puts 63 people out of work — including 56 hourly workers and seven managers, according to Mary Boehnke, president of the Communications Workers of America Local 7818.

John Stucke
Staff writer Spokesman Review

Boehnke said the job losses were difficult, especially after the union made earlier wage concessions.

Qwest said fewer calls necessitated the need to trim its directory assistance staff. Also closing were centers in Salem and Corvallis, Ore., and Tempe, Ariz.

In all, about 180 jobs will be lost at the four centers when they close on April 11, the company said in an employee memo.

"We knew the call volumes were down, but we hoped that with the onset of long distance for Qwest, it would bring them back up," said Boehnke, who also is losing her job. "This came as quite a surprise."

Last month, Qwest received federal approval to sell long distance telephone service in nine states including Washington and Idaho. It hopes to offer the service this year.

Along with decreasing calls for directory assistance, the company pointed to competition from prepaid calling cards, wireless devices, long-distance packages and programmable phones.

The jobs pay between $9 and $12 an hour. Most of the union workers at the 501 W. Second St. office are held by women, Boehnke said.

The local payroll is about $1.5 million.

Severance pay for the workers is minimal. Some longtime staff will be able to retire, but many will get a week’s wages without company-assisted retraining.

The employees can apply for transfers within the company, including opportunities at directory assistance centers in Duluth and White Bear Lake, Minn., and Midvale, Utah.

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