How I was Hired-n-Fired (was Re: [BC] oops)

[Radiofldude@aol.com]

I was hired to be the Station Manager for a 5,000 Watt Am in East Central  
Florida. This happened in Mid March. After dozens of emails back and forth with  
the CE, we talked on the phone and made flight arrangements for me to  
Orlando.
 
I was working 5 or 6 days a week. The friends in the area who knew me, knew  
that I worked real hard and did alot things that I didn't have to, but did  
anyways because i want to imrpove the station as it was a relfection of  me.
 
I was paid weekly, by direct deposit.
 
I even heard from the owner, more then once, "I know you're working hard  
down there and i really appreciate it!". About 3 months after i was hried by  
Chief Engineer Steven Delay, he passed away from a massive heart attack while in  
Richmond, Va....... that's when things started to go downhill! (Just an 
aside,  but any of you knew Steve... you knew what a wonderful person he was)
 
We were without a CE and had "hired" an interm engineer from leesburg who  
was a complete MORON. For months and months, the station got no engineering  
attention. In September, we FINALLY hired a new CE. Roger was fired 4 years ago  
and replace by Steve, but we hired him back.
 
I told Roger about EAS issues, fencing issues among other things when he  got 
there. I even called him twivce in one week about an SWR problem and a fault  
with our SG 3. He lived 5 miles away and refused to come out and look at  it.
 
Well, the station was about to go into an LMA. We were going to become  
Latina 1300, so a few days before this happened, i called up our CE and said,  "You 
know, under Federal Commuhications Rules and Regulations the owner is  
required to have a a local phone number and local staff under the rules of an  LMA". 
The CE then replied, "Nope, not true at all.. Ive been in this business 40  
years and you don't need that"
 
Suffice to say, the owner lied about the signal and they moved to another  
one of our stations that Thursday.
 
Fast forward to mid November............. i didn't get paid on a Thursday  so 
i called the office on a Friday and asked our business manager, "How come i  
wasn't paid yesterday?" and she replied, "Well, I thought we were letting  you 
go. My father told me on Monday, not to pay you. Let me call Roger and see  
whats going on". After not hearing from anyone for an hour, i called Roger and  
he said, "Yes, we are in fact letting you go. I was going to come see you 
today  but you got to her before i could get to you" (BS, they knew Monday) 
(Roger is  the CE)
 
How could they fire me? i was the ONE local employee and they WEREN'T  
replacing me.
 
I was living in their building and after several weeks, they were getting  
nasty. I informed them several times, because i had been there long enough I  
fell under the FLorida Lendlord Tenant Act and they would be required by law to  
evict me thru written notice. i wasnt going to let them walk all over me.
 
Well, they started the process with a 3 day notice, but on that notice  
stated they had served me with written notice on November 1st to vacate the  
property. How can I be served with notice to leave on 11/01/05 when i wasn't  layed 
off till 11/11/05?.......
 
Add to all of this, they claim they don't owe me that week of pay. Oh well.  
I'll be onto bigger and better things, eventually. I'm still out of work and  
looking for a decent on air job.... time will tell.................
 
Paul B. Walker, Jr.
_http://www.walkerbroadcasting.com_ (http://www.walkerbroadcasting.com) 
_paul at walkerbroadcasting.com_ (mailto:paul at walkerbroadcasting.com) 
radiofldude at aol.com