SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS ALERTS U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT TO LAY-OFFS AT AUGUSTA’S MICRODYNE OUTSOURCING FACILITY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Susan Collins has contacted the U.S. Department of Labor regarding the recently announced layoffs at Microdyne Outsourcing, which is a provider of customer service, technical support and logistics for high technology companies. The company announced that it will be closing its Augusta facility on March 14, 2003. While the Augusta-based employees have been offered jobs at the company's Orono, Maine site, it is feared that many employees will be unable to accept the new positions because such a move would require relocating.

Senator Collins has been in contact with Peter Thompson, CEO of Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, and has asked Mr. Thompson to continue the work of an existing task force to help meet the needs of the newly dislocated workers.

"There has to be a safety net for people who have worked hard, given their best, and who through no fault of their own find that their livelihoods suddenly have disappeared. I will work closely with the federal and state departments of labor and the task force to do all we can to help ease this very difficult turn of events," the Senator said.

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