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GreenTrack ex employees seek help for lost jobs

Posted on July 19th, 2010

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Rallyists of about 250 people trooped across the Alabama Supreme Court building in Montgomery last Friday seeking to get their lost jobs back after Alabama Governor Bill Riley had Greentrack’s 800 bingo machines confiscated. The governor says the operation of these bingo machines is illegal.

Among those in the Friday rally was Reverend Larry Weather from the Antioch Baptist Church in Gadsden. The rally included bible passages, songs of civil rights violations and prayers to showcase the effects of loss employment and fears of the future was part of the protest made in front of Alabama Judicial Building. Protesters are putting the blame of almost 400 lost jobs to Governor Riley. The rally was led by Albert Turner Jr., Perry County Commissioner. “We are seeking justice. We don’t want unemployment, we want full employment.” said Turner.

One of the many individuals that got hit by this issue is Vera Rice from Boligee. She says she lost her Blue Cross Blue Shield medical benefits as a result of her unemployment, together with her retirement and 401(k) benefits. Her son, who is a freshman in Alabama A&M University, has also lost his scholarship provided before by Greentrack. “When Greentrack shut down, they stopped everything, I’m hoping to get my job back” said Rice. She later tells that her husband still has his job, to support their family. The same cannot be said to Janice Burell from Demopolis, a single mother of two children. She has been an employee of the racetrack for 5 years to date. “It is wrong for him (Riley) to take our jobs, If you’re able to work, you should be allowed to work” Burell said.

Some employees were not laid off totally, but were given shorter hours of work. One of them is Toice Goodson of Eutaw who still considers himself fortunate. “I work part time, I’m lucky,” he said. “But there are people who lost their total jobs.” Around an hour before the start of the rally, Governor Riley and local officials even announced that over 500 jobs are being offered by Hyundai Heavy Industries. The company will be opening its first US based manufacturing plant in Montgomery under an investment of $90 million.

Governor Riley has been the subject of criticisms, as locals feel the governor is not creating enough jobs for Greene County or other Black Belt counties. Alabama Development office spokesman Jeff Emerson said that the organization does promote the welfare of Black Belt, but in the end investors still decide on the location they think will best benefit their future business. “If you want to develop an economic development model, this is the way you do it. You get the mayor, you get the council, you get the counties around you, you come together with the state and you can win projects like this rather than be saddled with one industry that basically retards your ability to be competitive,” Governor Riley said over the Hyundai event.

The governor further defended his decision on pulling out the electronic bingo machines from Greentrack, saying he is not able to choose which laws to enforce, and which not to enforce. “The Supreme Court said the governor not only has a right to stop illegal activity, he has the duty and responsibility to do it” he said. Emerson was quick to add that the Governor and other Montgomery County officials did a collaborative effort to bag the Hyundai Heavy industries deal.

“If Greene County officials put as much energy into recruiting new industry as they do to protesting about Greenetrack, imagine just how well Greene County could be doing when it comes to economic development.” said Emerson. He adds that Riley’s way of helping unemployment rates in the county is by passing bills in the past and current year imposing tax incentives for companies that employ locals in highly unemployed counties. According to Senator Hank Sanders, Green County approved in 2003, a constitutional amendment to allow electronic bingo play and to remove the machines will be to nullify the amendment. Legislative Black Caucus chairman John Rogers is now working to discuss with Attorney General Eric Holder if indeed Riley’s action constitutes nullification of the 2003 amendment. “What they’ve got to do is get in there and talk about jobs,” Rogers said. “Don’t talk about bingo, talk about jobs.”