Former Aeroframe workers claim they haven’t been paid in weeks
Published 8:00 pm Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Jason Fruge, a former employee at Aeroframe, hasn’t received last week’s paycheck and said he’s sure he won’t get this week’s either. Fruge is one of many former employees who were notified Friday that Aeroframe was ceasing operations and have yet to be compensated for their work.
Phone calls and emails from the American Press to Roger Porter, former CEO of Aeroframe, were not returned.
“It’s really sad that Roger Porter would allow the people that made him his money, allow him to drive fancy cars and fly private planes to suffer the way he has,” Fruge told the American Press. “Some of us live paycheck to paycheck, so we’re really in a bind.”
Tracey Reed, who is also a former Aeroframe employee, said she is owed for 128 hours for time worked for two weeks, accrued vacation and purchased vacation. Reed said some people are owed even more.
Reed said workers last received a paycheck in July.
“That is two weeks without pay, plus we have an option of buying vacation hours that are supposed to be held in separate accounts for our use,” she said. “We have not gotten our purchased vacation and only contact with Mr. Porter states that we will be paid when funds are available.”
Reed said some of her fellow employees went to the unemployment office and were denied the right to file a claim because they were never processed out of Aeroframe.
“So, not only have we not gotten paid, by emailing us that the gates are closed he has denied us the right of unemployment,” Reed said.
Former Aeroframe employee Robert Rackard has also not been compensated for his work.
“It’s a really bad time for most of the people (who are) my friends that were employed there,” Rackard said. “Bills are due and kids are starting school, as well as having to look for a new job with no money in your pocket.”
He said most workers are owed two weeks’ pay, plus accrued and purchased vacation.
“Some of these people worked 14 days straight before operations were ceased without advanced notice,” Rackard said. “It’s a strain on all aspects of your life and the ones around you. The ones you love feel the same stresses that you feel.”
(American Press Archives)
