Laid-off Treasure Island employees rally to demand 2 months’ pay, benefits
Angela Saverson is in a bit of a bind. She was laid off from Treasure Island Foods in Hyde Park on Friday after 2½ years with the company. Like many Americans, Saverson has little wiggle room to build up savings or cover an emergency.
The rent and all her bills are due Oct. 15, and Saverson doesn’t know how — or if — she’ll come up with the money.
“I’ve been living paycheck-to-paycheck for as long as I can remember,” she said. “What am I gonna tell my landlord? ComEd? Peoples Gas?”
Saverson and two dozen of her fellow former Treasure Island workers held a short rally Monday morning at the company’s flagship store and headquarters in Lake View to demand the company provide two months’ worth of pay and benefits, such as health care coverage, which they say they are owed under federal labor law.
The rally, organized by faith-based worker advocacy group Arise Chicago, called attention to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. Under the law, employers can’t order a “plant closing or mass layoff” until the end of a 60-day period after serving written notice to employees.
Workers at the rally alleged Treasure Island’s recent decision to close all seven stores constitutes a “plant closing.”
Jorge Mujica, an organizer with Arise Chicago, told those gathered for the rally that a class-action lawsuit against Treasure Island is being considered. An estimated 450 employees are affected by the closings, Mujica said.
Calls and emails to Arthur Stamas, Treasure Island’s attorney, were not returned. Treasure Island vice president Bob Zenawick also could not be reached for comment.
Mujica also told workers Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) planned to meet Tuesday night at her office in South Shore to discuss the closures and possible remedies for affected workers.
Denice Cantrell, who worked alongside Saverson at the Hyde Park location, also attended Monday. She said she planned to go to Hairston’s meeting but worried nothing would come of it.
“I don’t know if we’re going to get a fair shake,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell turned 60 this year. She said it’s been hard finding another job that could help cover her mounting living costs. She hopes Treasure Island pays up.
“We’re being punished for something we didn’t do. We deserved better,” she said.
Treasure Island is clearing out the aisles this week as it hopes to liquidate all merchandise before closing its doors for good on Friday.