PAETEC consolidation will eliminate 98 jobs

A consolidation of PAETEC's network operations centers in late 2011 will eliminate 98 jobs in Hiawatha.

Chris Muller, a spokesman for the Fairport, N.Y., telecommunications company, said the transition to network operations centers in Charlotte, N.C., and Rochester, N.Y., will occur over the next year. Muller said employees were told Tuesday to provide them with ample time to transfer to other positions within PAETEC or seek employment elsewhere.

“We also announced that we're going to make Hiawatha the hub for our small business unit,” Muller said. “We're creating a small business unit and it will be led from Hiawatha. We will have small business operations from coast to coast.”

Muller was unable to say how many jobs will be created by the small business hub.

“There might be very few, if any, jobs lost in Hiawatha as employees transition from one position to another,” he said.

PAETEC at 1 Martha's Way in Hiawatha employs about 400, according to Muller. The network operations center, which opened in December 2007, supports about 40,000 business customers.