A Letter to A T & T
PHOTO BY STEVE NEWVINE
AT&T call center closing
I read in the paper recently that the union representing some of the employees at AT & T’s Atwater Call Center was asking for letters to the company. The union promised to forward any letters sent to their office in Modesto.
I sent this letter:
AT & T Castle Commerce Park Atwater, CA Dear ATT: Thank you for being a respected employer in Merced County these past two decades. As a resident of Merced County, I appreciate the economic impact the company made on the community. By employing close to four-hundred workers, you helped improve the quality of life for countless families. You were a good employer. We are saddened that a business decision has been made to end operations at the facility at the former Castle Air Base. AT & T was the first major employer to lease space at the former Air Base after military operations left. The company has been an anchor in the efforts by Merced County to market the site to other companies. I hope business conditions change and that AT & T might again consider Merced County for the location of a call center or other facility. The company knows our labor force, our business friendly approach, and our strong work ethic. ATT has enjoyed success here in Merced County for two decades. We hope to welcome you back in the future. Sincerely,
Steve Newvine
Two-decades of employment
My letter thanked the company for two-decades of employment on behalf of hundreds of families in and around Merced County. When AT & T leaves the call center buildings at Castle Air Base at the end of the summer, nearly four-hundred jobs will be lost. Employment has been offered at the company’s call centers in California and other states.
The company’s original offer for continued employment included a five-thousand dollar moving allowance and a ten-day decision window.
Economic tragedy for local families
My letter made it clear that I understand the business decision that drove this economic tragedy for local families. The company paid decent wages and many workers have described working conditions as good. But apparently there are efficiencies to be achieved by consolidating operations within other facilities. I try to be mindful that had this decision gone the other way, and workers from other facilities would have been asked to move within a week-and-a-half to Merced County, many of us would be celebrating a victory for job development in our community.
Keeping the door open
The letter offers to keep the door open should business conditions change in the future. Should AT & T ever consider expansion again, I ‘ll do whatever I can to gain the support of the entire business development community, from the Office of Commerce, Aviation, and Economic Development to the County Workforce Investment Board. I serve on the board of the latter.
In times like these, it would be easy to take shots at AT & T or any company that eliminates jobs from our community. I’d like to think the company discussed some of their efficiency concerns with the union representing workers and economic development leaders in the community. I have seen no evidence of that from the reporting done in the local media.
There’s even a small part of me hoping AT & T will see some merit in reconsidering the decision, although I’ve seen enough of these operational restructurings to know better. Anything is possible, but we have to move on and embrace the companies that want to do business in our county.
Our community has taken another hit in the struggle to recover from the recession. We’ll add it to the list of setbacks endured by Merced County in terms of job growth.
We’ll also take stock of our strong points:
- Agriculture
- Highway ninety-nine improvements
- UC Merced
Compassion for the families
The mourning period for the departure of AT & T will extend beyond the end of the summer when the last employee leaves the facilities at Customer Care Way in Atwater. With compassion for the families facing uncertainty and empathy for the businesses that relied on local spending from the AT & T payroll, we will move onward.
Steve Newvine lives in Merced.
He serves on the Merced County Workforce Investment Board
No More Saturday Night Summer Music at Merced Mall
PHOTO BY STEVE NEWVINE
No more summer concerts
I found out this week that one of my summertime pleasures, the Saturday night music concert series at Merced Mall, has been discontinued.
I asked the person at the information desk inside the Mall whether the series would be held this summer and she told me that the concerts are not returning. A call into the Mall offices got me a very nice person who confirmed the news, and directed me back to the information desk to fill out a comment card.
I also noticed that you can also comment on anything related to the Mall at their website www.MercedMall.com
My feelings about this decision by the Mall do not consist of anger or frustration. I’m sure this was purely a business decision. I work in the business sector every day. I understand why choices such as this one are made.
Free to the public
As the concerts were free to the public, it’s reasonable to guess the Mall’s budget for this kind of summertime activity was strained. Artists deserve to be paid. Hosting a series of two-hour concerts at the Mall likely entails increased expenses for such things as set-up, security, and post-event janitorial work. It’s true that the concerts brought in a lot of people who probably would not go to the Mall on a Saturday night in the summer. Some of these new visitors spent money in the stores and at the food court. Others did not.
I suspect that after four years, the cost of producing the series did not pencil out. There were more people in the Mall on those Saturday nights, but the revenue from increased traffic likely did not justify the expense. Still, I am saddened that this little piece of life in Merced has come to an end.
Good memories
There are good memories from those many concerts we attended over the years. My favorite concert was from a bluegrass band that called itself The Grass Kickers. In recent years, some members from that group formed a new band that also delighted the crowd. We also enjoyed the light jazz from John Albano and his quartet. I introduced John’s music to my in-laws during one of their visits to the valley.
Cool and comfortable
The concerts provided a respite from the intense valley heat. The variety of music offered appealed to just about everyone. If a particular week’s program didn’t interest you, you could pass on it and return later in the summer. It was nice to see live music performed in a comfortable (assuming you either got there early enough for a seat or brought in your own folding chair) setting. The mood was always light, the audiences were appreciative, and the artists were grateful. We often saw people we knew from church or other organizations attending the concerts. It was a fun and safe place to meet, greet, and connect with acquaintances. Plus, it got us away from the television set on a Saturday night. Saturday nights won’t seem the same this summer, at least for now. Soon we and the other people who attended the concerts will find something else to do to fill the void left by the end of the Merced Mall Summer Music Series. It was fun while it lasted.
Steve Newvine lives in Merced.
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