AT&T Inc. plans to lay off 42 people from the company’s White Plains office later this year.
A notice filed with the state Department of Labor said workers at the 400 Hamilton Ave. office will be laid off starting Nov. 20 of this year for “economic” reasons.
AT&T spokesman Marty Richter expanded on the those reasons.
“To better serve our customers and increase efficiency, we are consolidating some work currently done in White Plains into other company facilities,” he said. “All affected bargained employees are being offered the opportunity to follow their work to Dallas, and a relocation allowance. We are also working to find other jobs in the White Plains area for as many of the affected employees as possible.”
The Department of Labor notice lists Communication Workers of America Local 1153 as the affiliated union.
Local 1153 officials not immediately respond to request for comment but, calling the layoffs “maddening” and AT&T’s decision to close the White Plains office, and another in Annapolis, Maryland, “devastation,” said it is preparing its members for the impending layoffs in a post on the union’s website.
“The union is working with the appropriate company representatives to be certain all CWA members understand and comply with certain deadlines to make the most of all their options,” the website read.
The White Plains closure is one of the latest restructuring moves for the telecommunications giant. About a year ago, Dallas-based AT&T closed on a $2 billion deal to sell some of its Connecticut operations ”” including wireline network assets and consumer, business and wholesale customers relationships ”” to Stamford-based Frontier Communications. About 2,500 AT&T workers transferred to Frontier as part of the agreement.
