ALVIN, Texas – Hundreds of people are out of work after DISH Network announced the closure of a customer service center in Alvin.
DISH said 550 employees were notified Tuesday of the facility closure, which is scheduled in early May.
"This was a complete shock," employee Santana Trigo said.
Just a month ago, Trigo and his co-workers were celebrating pay increases.
"They came down and told us we were getting across-the-board raises and a shift differential of $4," he said.
The company said its lease in Alvin is expiring in the coming months and it is consolidating operations across the country.
Workers who talked to KPRC 2 were concerned about their job prospects.
"Another decent-paying job like this, honestly, it's looking slim," employee Amanda Wiggins said.
The president and CEO of the Alvin-Manvel Chamber of Commerce said she too was blindsided by the news, but remains optimistic.
"With the economy booming like it is right now in our area, hopefully there will be jobs for everyone and we'll do our best to connect them to employers," Johanna McWilliams said.
A statement from DISH read, in part: "DISH proudly continues to have a significant presence in Texas, including a large sales, service and manufacturing facility in El Paso, a service facility in Harlingen, and In-Home Services facilities throughout the state. DISH employs more than 3,000 people in Texas. We thank all of our employees in Alvin for their dedication to our customers."
According to DISH, employees are being encouraged to apply for other positions within the company. The company also said it is offering assistance with resumes and interviews.