MOBILE network giant EE is set to close a Scottish call centre which employs 450 people.
Staff at the site in Greenock were told the shock news on Thursday morning, with the company consulting on plans to shut the building by the end of November.
There are plans to move the 442 permanent and 13 agency desk workers employed by BT Group at the site to Glasgow.
The Greenock Telegraph reported that staff who are outside of "reasonable travel" distance to an alternative building appropriate for their role will receive support from a specialist outplacement service employed by the firm.
Bosses have claimed that disposing of the Main Street building is necessary, as it would require "substantial" investment to bring it up to their standard.
The bombshell move is the latest in a series of jobs hammer blows to hit the area in recent years, alongside the closure of Amazon's Gourock plant and the Berry BPI plastics factory last year.
A BT Group spokesperson said: “We’re consulting with colleagues and trade unions on our proposed plan to relocate colleagues at our Greenock contact centre to our flagship Glasgow office, which has recently undergone a multi-million pound upgrade.
“Around 2000 colleagues are already based at our Glasgow office, which includes all parts of BT Group, allowing colleagues many opportunities to develop their careers across the company.
“BT Group continues to make record investments in Scotland’s infrastructure, including in Inverclyde, helping to transform and futureproof the nation’s digital economy.
"Our 5G EE network now covers all of Scotland’s major cities and beyond and our 4G network covers 76 per cent of Scotland, which is more than any other network.
"We have also announced a significant investment in a brand new contact centre in Dundee, securing 1000 jobs for the city, which is due to open later this year.”
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