Journal Staff Report
The GE Consumer Finance call center at 4580 Paradise Blvd. NW will close by June and lay off its 165 employees as part of a companywide cutback, company officials told employees this week.
The center is part of a worldwide network of such operations that handles calls for credit card customers for major retailers such as J.C. Penney, Gap and Sears. The work done in Albuquerque will be moved to other centers.
Managers informed employees on Tuesday of the news that their jobs would be gone in about 60 days. They also told employees the company would help support job searches with workshops on résumé writing, interviewing tips and careers strategies, a company spokeswoman told KOAT-TV on Wednesday.
"It is very hard to make a decision that impacts employees. Right now our main priority is to make sure that everyone here gets the support that they need to transition into their next career step, or their next role," communications manager Arianna McKinney said.
The call center, which has many bilingual employees, has had an up and down history for the past five years.
In November 2004, the Economic Development Department's Job Training Incentive Program board approved $199,204 for 48 new positions for the center.
In May 2001, the call center laid off 100 employees, but said it was hiring 50 new bilingual workers. The company has transferred 100 of 210 Albuquerque jobs to a Florida call center, the company said.
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