FARMINGTON – About 95 people, including college students, will lose their jobs at the MBNA call center in Farmington when it closes its doors March 10.
Bank of America, which acquired MBNA last year, announced Thursday that it would retain its primary center in Belfast, which employs 1,700 workers, but close smaller satellite offices in Farmington, Fort Kent, Presque Isle and Portland next month.
Centers in Brunswick and Orono will remain open for the time being because no decision has been made on what to do with them, Bank of America spokeswoman Carolyn Marsh said Thursday from her Belfast office.
The total work force in Maine is about 2,000, she said.
Marsh said workers were informed Thursday of the company’s decision to close the centers.
When the Bank of America merged with MBNA, the company announced it would look for redundancy and duplication of its services to make it more efficient, Marsh said.
The company announced last June that it would reduce the combined national work force of both companies by 6,000 people.
Marsh wouldn’t release the number of workers who will lose their jobs at the Farmington center, but confirmed that approximately 95 full- and part-timers would be affected.
“Every person in every one of the centers will have the opportunity to apply for an open post at the Bank of America,” Marsh said.
Eligible full-time workers will be paid for 60 days from the day of the announcement, she said, and the company will work closely with the Department of Labor to help workers.
Bank of America is working with the governor, Maine’s congressional delegation and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development to find buyers for those buildings, she said.
When asked for comment, an employee at the Farmington MBNA center said Thursday that workers were directed not to talk to the press.
Gov. John Baldacci said in a statement Thursday that new opportunities for the four satellite offices are being explored.
“My administration has been working closely with Bank of America officials, and I am pleased they are staying in Maine and have recognized this as a great place to do business,” Baldacci stated. “Company executives have high praise for Maine’s work force and we appreciate their faith in our state and our people.”
Commissioner Jack Cashman of the Department of Economic and Community Development, said in a statement that the department “has been in serious negotiations with other businesses interested in occupying each of the four satellite offices. Every effort is being made for a seamless transition to have new employers in place at each location. This is all possible because of the cooperation from Bank of America.”
The town of Farmington values MBNA property and its equipment at $2.3 million. The company pays about $42,000 in taxes to the town.
It is unfortunate that the business is closing, especially for the people who work there, Town Manager Richard Davis said Thursday. But at the same time, he’s optimistic that there will be another company in there in the near future.
It’s a productive new building and there’s a strong work force that is very productive, Davis said.
“It’s a great opportunity for a similar company to come in,” Davis said. “I know there are lots of people that have more influence, obviously more than I do, working on this.”
Mike Luciano, president of the Greater Franklin Development Corp. in Farmington, said Thursday, “The loss of one job for our area is devastating. The loss of that many is bad.”
The good thing is the state’s congressional delegation, along with state and local officials are working on trying to find a buyer for the center and one that would offer as good or better wages, he said.
“I feel bad for the families and students,” Luciano said.
Jennifer Erickson, spokesman for the University of Maine at Farmington, said Thursday that counseling and career services are being offered to affected students and there will be a career fair on Wednesday, March 8, open to the community.
Comments are no longer available on this story