It was a typical Friday morning for approximately 150 staff of S&P Data in Trenton, until it was not.
A source to Quinte News says they went to work Friday morning at the call centre on Sidney Street, and before their day could even begin, word came down they were unemployed as of that moment.
Quinte News was told two contracts had been pulled with the company that does data collections in technology, energy and communications sectors.
They said the client that pulled out from the company was in the communications sector.
The news comes out of the blue according to the former employee, who says it sounds like it was a very last minute decision, with management only finding out Thursday evening.
“People rely on these jobs and in a blink of an eye it is gone,” the former employee stated. “There are single moms who work there. Those who are only a few years away from retirement. There are a lot of lives affected.”
Those let go (110 of 180 in Quinte West) were given a letter stating S&P Data may call them back to work in the next 13 weeks. Those who do not get a call back may be eligible for a severance. Those who get a call back are not eligible for a severance. While those former employees are waiting for the phone to ring, there is no income until Employment Insurance kicks in.
The news comes on the same day as S&P Data closed its two business services centres in New Brunswick on Friday, putting 245 people in the province out of work, and laid off about 300 employees at its three Ontario locations, Toronto, Hamilton and Trenton.
The former employee says “This is a bit of a blow to Quinte West. People weren’t prepared. It was just dropped in people’s laps.”
Chief Operating Officer David Borts tells CBC that both the staff and the company are victims of the situation. Borts adds that they are looking for new clients for the company, but it is unknown if the jobs will return.
S&P Data opened in Trenton in December 2012.
You can read about the east coast layoffs here.
