Universal shutters center, cuts jobs
The theme park company is outsourcing its call center operations, laying off 55 workers.
Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted May 12, 2006
Universal Orlando is closing its in-house call center operations and contracting out the work to an Illinois-based company, leaving 55 people scrambling for jobs this week.
In a prepared statement, Universal said the company is doing "everything possible" to help the laid-off workers find new jobs within or outside the company.
An additional 27 workers in the operation reportedly have already accepted other job offers.
Universal spokesman Tom Schroder declined to comment on the action beyond the written statement.
The work, which includes vacation bookings, is being given to Virtual Agent Services of Shaumburg, Ill., which has call centers in Canada. That company already has worked with Universal to handle hotel room bookings.
Universal's announcement comes a year after the Walt Disney Co. began outsourcing more than 1,000 of its information technology jobs, including 230 in Orlando. Those jobs provided technical and network support.
At the time, Disney said it expected most of the workers to land similar jobs with Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services or New York-based IBM. Some were offered other jobs at Disney.
Disney also outsourced about 200 overnight cleaning jobs at its resort hotels last fall, offering the laid-off workers other jobs at Walt Disney World.
Universal is in the midst of its summer hiring season, which involves more than 2,000 full- and part-time jobs, both seasonal and permanent.
The Universal statement said the company is helping them apply for any in-house position they might be qualified for, and also has contacted several companies in Orlando that do similar work. "Based on our conversations with these companies, we know they have more than enough openings."
Universal also is providing "transition packages" to laid-off workers who do not find another job within the company.
Scott Powers can be reached at spowers@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5441.
The theme park company is outsourcing its call center operations, laying off 55 workers.
Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted May 12, 2006
Universal Orlando is closing its in-house call center operations and contracting out the work to an Illinois-based company, leaving 55 people scrambling for jobs this week.
In a prepared statement, Universal said the company is doing "everything possible" to help the laid-off workers find new jobs within or outside the company.
An additional 27 workers in the operation reportedly have already accepted other job offers.
Universal spokesman Tom Schroder declined to comment on the action beyond the written statement.
The work, which includes vacation bookings, is being given to Virtual Agent Services of Shaumburg, Ill., which has call centers in Canada. That company already has worked with Universal to handle hotel room bookings.
Universal's announcement comes a year after the Walt Disney Co. began outsourcing more than 1,000 of its information technology jobs, including 230 in Orlando. Those jobs provided technical and network support.
At the time, Disney said it expected most of the workers to land similar jobs with Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services or New York-based IBM. Some were offered other jobs at Disney.
Disney also outsourced about 200 overnight cleaning jobs at its resort hotels last fall, offering the laid-off workers other jobs at Walt Disney World.
Universal is in the midst of its summer hiring season, which involves more than 2,000 full- and part-time jobs, both seasonal and permanent.
The Universal statement said the company is helping them apply for any in-house position they might be qualified for, and also has contacted several companies in Orlando that do similar work. "Based on our conversations with these companies, we know they have more than enough openings."
Universal also is providing "transition packages" to laid-off workers who do not find another job within the company.
Scott Powers can be reached at spowers@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5441.