Workers protest

This was in the newspaper all about Pals, where David worked and was also unpaid approx $900.00 before taxes. There were many more in the same boat as David. Please take time to read this.

I myself had a conversation with her about the money she own David. She cursed me out and hung up. If you want my opinion she should be in jail.



Unpaid Workers Protest
By BRIAN HANEY Of The Record Staff Passers by on 13th Street in Er­win couldn’t help but notice a group of people gathered at the entrance of the Erwin Business Complex holding signs and chant­ing yesterday.The people were former em­ployees of PALS group homes in Dunn and Erwin. They came out to protest their former employer, who they say has not paid them, some in over half a year.The protesters staged their demonstration outside the PALS’ main office at 200 N. 13th St. in Er­win on the day when accreditors were scheduled to come review the business.The employees marched with signs they’d made with state­ments like “All Work No Pay” or “BAD Policy + BAD Practice = BAD Paycheck.”Some also wore T-shirts with similar statements ironed on the front.The idea behind the protest was to make their voices heard. The participants got the attention of not only drivers along 13th Street, but also of PALS CEO Pamela Ter­ry who came out, video camera in hand, to document the protest.“I’m surprised at you,” she said to one former employee.She said she has paid wage and hour and that she doesn’t know what her past employees are do­ing picketing her office.“They’re just being silly,” she said.“We have not been paid a dime,” one former employee See Protest, Page 3A
Former employees of PALS group homes stand on the side­walk of 13th Street yesterday, in front of the Erwin Business Complex where PALS is located, holding signs and protesting the busi­ness. They say PALS CEO Pamela Terry has refused to pay them thousands of dollars for time they worked, but were not paid. Daily Record Photo/Brian Haney
See Protest on Page A03
Protest Continued From Page One shouted back. The N.C. Department of Labor has substantiated 17 separate wage payment complaints from PALS employees beginning in December 2008. The department advised unpaid employees to take their claims to court. "If she would just pay me my money," Monica Davis said. "I don't want to cause her any problems, I just want my money." Ms. Davis was a facility manager at the 505 S. Magnolia Ave. group home in Dunn from January to August of this year. She said Mrs. Terry owes her $2,000 for time she worked without receiving payment. She said Mrs. Terry frequently promises her and other employees she's mailing their money, but it never comes. "It would be better to say she's not going to pay (us)," she said, "then we could take action from there." "My mailman is tired of me," Ms. Davis said. "My post office is at me too," Debra Stewart, who was next to her, said. She also worked at the Magnolia Avenue group home. Mrs. Stewart said she quit her job at PALS on Sept. 14 after just over a year of employment after one of her clients ran away. She said she was the only staff member at a group home with four male clients when one of the clients left the facility. She said she called the main office in Erwin for help three times, but nobody came so she had to decide whether to go after the escaped client or stay and look after the other three. She went after the escapee and that same day, tendered her resignation. Mrs. Stewart said she is owed about $1,200. Right now there is a silver alert out for a PALS client who has been missing from an Erwin home for more than a week. Fighting For Unemployment Ms. Davis said she was let go after she was forced to perform an involuntary commitment on a client without prior training. Once she was terminated, she said Mrs. Terry tried to fight her unemployment by "telling lies," something she said has also happened with other employees. "I'm still fighting her," Ms. Davis said. Mrs. Stewart's husband, James, came out yesterday in support of his wife and her co-workers. He said his wife's not getting paid has certainly hurt their family. "I hear everything that's going on and it frustrates me," he said. "She's owed $1,200 and that's money we need desperately." Ultimately, Mr. Stewart doesn't think his wife will get what she's owed, but he's still in her corner. "I really don't see anybody getting paid," he said. "I think it's a lost cause, I hope not. "I just don't understand why nobody with any power can make her (Mrs. Terry) pay her employees," he said. Leslie Hobbs, a nurse who continues to work with PALS, said it appeared the employees who were protesting were angry. "The situation is truly not good for the consumers and people who work for the clients," she said. Mrs. Terry, she said, "is doing her best to care for these clients, educate her staff and give to the community and these clients what she thought was needed." "They think it's us that's wrong because we want our money that we worked for," said Tiffany Graham, the first former employee who reported PALS to The Daily Record. At one point during the protest, a woman identified as Mrs. Terry's mother shouted to one of the former employees, "I'll be at your house this afternoon." The employee called the police, believing the statement was a threat and Officer Albert Webb was called to the scene. He said the statement did not constitute a threat because no violence was actually threatened. Officer Webb said he didn't know what would come from the protest. "I know this place has been in trouble for a while now," he said. "It's been coming to a head. "All we can do," he said, "is just stand by and watch and keep the peace." PALS CEO Pamela Terry made an appearance at yesterday's protest, videotaping her former employees as they chanted 'All Work, No Pay.' She said they were being 'silly.' Daily Record Photo/Brian Haney