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Some McD’s workers lost jobs in sale
Employees had to reapply for their fast-food positions
Published Friday, October 30, 2009
Some McDonald’s workers in Austin and Albert Lea who were employed Tuesday were out looking for work Wednesday.
Two Austin restaurants and one in Albert Lea changed hands from Austin resident Dave Scherer to Onalaska, Wis.-based Courtesy Corp. this week, and Courtesy Corp. did not hire all of Scherer’s former employees.
Scherer estimated that at the time he sold his stores, he had about 55 employees at 1009 Oakland Ave. W. and 35 employees at 1402 14th St. NW.
Courtesy Corp. declined to say how many of Scherer’s employees they hired.
In interviews with local news media on Wednesday, Courtesy Corp. President Rick Lommen gave the impression that no employees were let go by Courtesy and said his company would be hiring.
In a written statement Thursday, Lommen said, “All employees of the prior owner were given the first opportunity to interview, and a majority were offered positions.”
Several of Scherer’s employees who were not hired by Courtesy Corp. said they believe a minority were offered jobs, contradicting Lommen’s statement.
The purchase of the restaurants was effective Wednesday. Lommen explained that all employees at the three McDonald’s were asked to reapply and interview for their positions earlier this month.
“When I sold the store, my employees were released to seek work with Courtesy Corp. if they wanted,” Scherer explained.
Among those who lost their jobs were Mark Snater, who had been a maintenance person and trainer at the restaurant on Oakland Avenue since August; Kristin Choronzy, full-time assistant manager at the 14th Street store, who had been with the company under Scherer since 2004; Maurice McFarlin, full-time maintenance person at the same 14th Street store since August; Robert Ludvik, a part-time crew trainer at the 14th Street store, who had worked with the company for the majority of the past two years; and Annette Wilson, who had worked at the Oakland Avenue store since June.
The franchise of McDonald’s now owns and operates 42 restaurants in western Wisconsin, southern Minnesota and Decorah, Iowa.
Scherer said he cannot hire his former employees without the approval of Courtesy Corp. for a certain length of time.
However, after the sale, Scherer did get approval to re-hire one employee, after Courtesy Corp. declined to hire her at the Oakland store. Scherer said he hired the employee for one of his Albert Lea stores. The supervisor had worked for him for more than 20 years.
Lommen said Wednesday that Courtesy Corp. tends to hire a lot of high school students as part-time workers and has very high standards, including appearance.
Lommen said Courtesy Corp. plans to have about 100 employees at the Oakland Avenue store. Scherer estimated that he had 55 employees at that location.
“Courtesy Corp. is committed to having the best employees serving our customers. At Courtesy Corp. we invest in our employees by offering a higher starting wage, an increase in benefits including medical and dental insurance along with our McScholar tuition match program, up to $4,000,” Lommen said in Thursday’s written statement.
All former employees interviewed said Courtesy Corp. did not offer them a reason for why they were not hired. Courtesy Corp. declined to comment as to whether explanations were given.
“I wish they would have just tried us out, before judging all of us,” Choronzy said.
She said her job brought $1,700 a month to her household.
“I am very sorry anyone lost their jobs,” Scherer said.
“That part was not my choice,” he added.
Courtesy Corp. held a job fair in Austin Thursday.
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Comments
Posted by gardenmama (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am glad to hear about the high standards of appearance. We were at a McD's recently and one of the employees had rings on both sides of their lip, in their eyebrows and the ugliest dangling earrings you ever saw in their ears. It was disgusting. We were thankful we were done eating before we saw this person by the counter.
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, this makes them a bad person. What's in your closet?
Posted by Culture_Warrior (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 5:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not a bad person, just less "employable". Face it, when a serious person goes to a job interview, they leave the tongue rings and ratty blue jeans at home.
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Eveidently someone hired them in the first place.
Posted by lessgov (Greg Flaskerud) on October 30, 2009 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If it is in the closet, no one would know! I agree with you gardenmama. Oh my, what's the thought process? If morrels lack, please stay in the closet.
Posted by Warhog (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wingo, wingo, wingo........................when out in public you are a representative of the people you work for, therefore there are standards of dress and conduct that must be observed while getting compensated for preforming work.
Have some body modifications does not make a person bad, but using common sense, you will get allot farther in life and a fatter wallet. Be discreet. do whatever at the house but tone it down at work.
It's that simple
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I really am sick of this world judging people by the way they look. Have to be ultra skinny, beautiful, have good biceps, etc, etc. Just because someone has piercings doesn't mean they look unattractive. I don't care for a lot of them either, but I will not judge a person by that. This kind of shallowness has been going on for centuries, can't we just find out what's on the inside and quit judging by whats on the outside. I would rather trust them than the ones who dress in suits, dresses, clean cut and steal all our money!
Posted by NoDFL (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 6:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
While it may be shallow it does show that your choices have a fall out. You want to wear this or that fine but live with the fall out. If you don't want to eat there because of what someone is wearing your choice. Refuse to change great no job.
Now I have to wonder did these people know and follow the dress code? The problem you have is a job is not a right given to you by the constitution. Every person is free to work or leave. Contracts have been created to protect the worker and the employer but we are still free to enter into and leave a job. My fear is you want to head down the path of protecting the worker at the expense of growth and inavation. The market will effectivly use the resourse. Mess with that and you will have higher unemployment and no growth.
So if you make a choice live with the fall out.
Posted by 1PoopedMom (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh come off it. People get all those piercings to be defiant and alternative, EMO, whatever term you want to use. It's a means of being anti society. It's asinine to then come off as being victimized because society doesn't accept your appearance.
Also one could argue that the more piercings one has the more risk there is for bodily infections. Bodily infections and working in food service or serving the public isn't exactly sanitary.
Posted by Warhog (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I quote wingo..............................."I don't care for a lot of them either, but I will not judge a person by that. This kind of shallowness has been going on for centuries, can't we just find out what's on the inside and quit judging by whats on the outside. I would rather trust them than the ones who dress in suits, dresses, clean cut and steal all our money!"
Notice the last sentence
Pot this is kettle
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 7:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Warhog - maybe you need to go back to school, I was referring to Madoff, Petty and all the clean cut nice appearanced people that have taken our money. So quote me all you want, just get your brain working and understand the sentence. Maybe all of you would like to see one of them working behind the counter, seems like that's your type.
Posted by sloppyjoe11 (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i have no piercings and no visable tattoos short styled hair
i was still let go so there using the apperance as a way out of just being ruthless
Posted by guesswho (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
my comment has nothing to do with appearence. my comment is about the owner. how do you that to your employee's? he hire's all these people, work's their butt off, he sit's back and get's rich then hang's them out to dry. what a jerk!!!
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Even after reading this article I am still puzzled as to why some of the comments were removed.
Posted by gardenmama (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wingo - I never said the person was bad - where did you get that - just not pleasant to look at when serving people in a food place.
Posted by NoDFL (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wingo,
I have to agree with you after reading this I am wondering why they removed so many post from the first story. While people may have disagreed it was civil and stuck to the issue.
Guesswho,
In America you still have the right to work for someone or not. They in turn have a right to hire and fire. If this guy is that bad to work for than people will not work for him or will require more money to do so. It is the market working. It happen every where. Well every where except when it comes to Government jobs. Just remember if you don't like your job or your boss quit. Start your own business and be the type of boss you want to be. This type of freedom is great but with this right you must take responsablity for your choice.
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh goodness, they already have an ad for help. Imagine that.
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