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Workers wait for paychecks
By JENNIFER GOLDBLATT © St. Petersburg Times, published May 15, 2001 HOLIDAY -- For Courtnie Deltufo, diapers for her 5-month-old daughter were at stake. Maria Serrano was facing an eviction notice. Susan Goldman was looking for something -- besides an excuse -- to satisfy bill collectors knocking on her door. The three women were among a crowd of about 70 employees of New Local Networks that spent Monday waiting to get paid. The employees had sold Internet domain names, Internet yellow page listings and other related services over the telephone. Last Friday -- payday -- had come and gone and no paychecks were distributed. Company officials told employees about a change in ownership, and instructed them to return Monday at 9 a.m. Some came at 8. By 11 a.m. company officials had called the employees inside, ordered pizzas, and told them that their week's pay would arrive by 5 p.m. By 5, employees were assured that the checks were just a few hours away from arriving. Those who could stay were encouraged to do so. Those who had to leave were told to add their names and phone numbers to a list that was circulating. They were assured: The check would be in the mail. Some employees had to leave. Others, like Ivy Plummer, were determined to wait. She had arrived at 8:30 a.m. "I'm exhausted from waiting," said Plummer, 44, a mother of five. "I got kids to feed and life beyond this. But I want to get paid." By 8 p.m., those who stayed came out with checks in their hands and relieved looks on their faces. Throughout the day, employees milled around the offices at University Plaza, wondering how they were going to feed their children and pay their rent. Some employees had been working at NLN since the company opened its offices in October. Others had been hired as recently as a few weeks ago. Speculation swirled among the crowd about ties between NLN and Businessmall.com, a Clearwater-based company that sold similar services, and filed an involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last fall. NLN officials who were at the offices Monday declined to comment. James P. McGuire is listed as NLN's chief executive. He could not be reached for comment. James Wallace, who is listed as NLN's vice president, did not return calls. Some employees brought their toddlers that -- without paychecks -- they could not afford to put in day care. Many employees wondered whether the customers they had sold products to would ever receive them. Others shot hoops in the back parking lot to pass the time. "My collectors are never going to believe this," said Goldman, 38, a mother of three who recently went to work at NLN after being a stay-at-home mom for five years. "I feel like I went from the frying pan into the fire." By 5 p.m., she still had not gotten what she had been waiting for. Deltufo had been able to borrow $20 for diapers. And Serrano had been served with an eviction notice. "I don't know what I'm going to do,"she said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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