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Catch-22: worker?s hours reduced but he can?t collect ?pogey?

BY MICHAEL JAMES [email protected] A worker who had his hours cut wants to know how he?s supposed to get by on part-time hours. He is looking for a little mercy from his employer, the Salvation Army.
BY MICHAEL JAMES

A worker who had his hours cut wants to know how he?s supposed to get by on part-time hours. He is looking for a little mercy from his employer, the Salvation Army.

CONRAD
William Conrad, 48, has been working as a furniture mover for the Salvation Army for four years. Recently his boss, Maj. Craig Rowe, informed him his hours would be cut back significantly over the winter months.

?They?re screwing me,? Conrad said. ?I used to work 27- hours a week and now I?ve been cut back to 16 hours per week.

Conrad, who makes $8.35 an hour, said he can?t make ends meet on so few hours.

He is in a Catch-22 position. Conrad can?t go on welfare. Even with the reduced number of hours, he still makes more than a single person on welfare is entitled to. He can?t collect unemployment insurance either because his boss won?t lay him off.

Rowe said he doesn?t understand why Conrad felt compelled to speak to the media about the matter.

?This blows my mind away! (I don?t understand) why he?s even doing this,? Rowe said. ?It was a strategic
business decision that needed to be made.?

Between November and March, pickups at the Salvation Army are down, he said.

?William should have come to me,? Rowe said. ?I could have made any number of suggestions to help him out...this is insubordination.?

Rowe said he has no reason to lay off Conrad.

?He?s a good worker, a good employee.?

Rowe said he?s concerned media exposure will hurt the Salvation Army?s reputation.

?Running a story like this will blacken our reputation (in the community),? he said.

Rowe talked to Conrad after being contacted by Northern Life.

?He (Rowe) said he was going to talk to headquarters...and to be patient,? Conrad said.

In the meantime, Conrad said he hasn?t been able to eat or sleep.

?I?m a mess,? he said. ?I don?t want to run them (the Salvation Army) down...they do a lot of good (for the community), but if that?s what it takes to keep my job...?

Conrad said he figures the Salvation Army will keep him on until Christmas because ?they don?t want the bad publicity.?

When this story comes out they?re going to fire me, he said.

?I?m stuck between a rock and a hard place.?

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