THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 24, 1995 TAG: 9506240368
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRISTOPHER DINSMORE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
About 40 laid-off workers gathered outside Jonathan Corp.'s Norfolk shipyard Friday afternoon to see if they got paid for their last week of work.
They left empty-handed and full of anger.
``This hurts,'' said John Aldridge, a pipefitter from Coinjock, N.C., with five years at Jonathan. ``I got two boys and we were counting on this money.''
Aldridge, who was waiting with his 4-year-old son John, has already found another job, but he won't be paid there for two more weeks and he really needs the money now. His oldest son, Michael, 8, is going into Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters for a July 3 surgery.
``I can't see how they did this to us,'' said L.J. Harrison, a pipefitter from Hampton who's worked three years for Jonathan. ``This isn't severance pay. This is something we worked for. This is not something I feel I have to ask for.''
Jonathan laid off more than 250 employees June 16 when it ran out of money. Unable to get the contracts to sustain itself, the ship-repair firm simply closed up. The shutdown came four months after the company emerged from 14 months in bankruptcy.
The laid-off workers were to be paid for their last week of work at 2 p.m. Friday at Jonathan's waterfront facility on Norfolk's Front Street. Some workers showed, but many had gotten the word that they wouldn't be paid.
``They promised us this check,'' said Van Arsdale, a pipefitter who has worked for Jonathan for a few months. ``I'm over here becausethey said last week we'd get paid.''
No company representative was there to tell the workers they weren't being paid. Workers handed around copies of a notice the guard at the shipyard's gate was passing out. It read:
``June 23, 1995. Notice to all Jonathan Corp. employees. All Jonathan Corp. offices and facilities have been closed until further notice. You will be contacted regarding the future status of the corporation. No paycheck will be issued today or until further notice.''
Gary M. Bowers, Jonathan's founder and president, could not be reached for comment.
It's unclear what recourse the workers have. If the company were still in bankruptcy, the workers would be second in line for payment, behind the secured creditors.
``I've got three kids and they're hungry,'' said Harrison, who said he's owed for 56 hours of work last week. ``I'm hungry too, and I got hungrier when I heard I'm not getting paid.''
Some of the waiting workers were sullen, but others spoke angrily with each other. After waiting until about 2:30 p.m., most started to leave, heading home to families and bills without the paychecks they had earned.
``What's been done to us is not right,'' said John Coffield of Norfolk, who has worked for Jonathan since March. ``This is criminal. Look at how many people they've screwed.
``These are honest people trying to make an honest wage,'' said Coffield, his anger evident in the bulging veins on his face and neck. ``It's just not right. It's un-American.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Gary C. Knapp
John Aldridge - with his 4-year-old son, John - learned he wouldn't
get paid Friday for his last week of work for Johathan Corp. About
40 workers gathered Friday outside the closed Norfolk shipyard
hoping to receive their final checks.
by CNB