BACK ON THE JOB: PERRY WORKSHOP WORKERS RETURN

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- When Perry County Sheltered Workshop opened on Wednesday, some items were missing.

Artwork made by some of the disabled clients at the workshop was gone, said manager Bill Tweedy. Bulletin boards that had been bolted to the walls had been removed.

Tweedy said relatively small changes like these make a difference in his workers.

"The twinkle is not back in their eyes yet," said Tweedy, who had left the workshop last March to protest how VIP Industries was operating the facility. "That bothers me," he said.

In spite of what was missing, Tweedy and other managers were working hard to make up for lost items and lost time.

Wednesday was the first day back to work after VIP Industries ended its 24-year role as operator of the workshop. The Perry County Sheltered Workshop Inc. hired Tweedy and the three assistant managers who quit in March.

"God gave us an opportunity to come back," said Lauren Mattingly, one of four who quit. The four had said VIP Industries, operated by Hillary Schmittzehe, was insensitive to its handicapped employees and forced them to overwork.

Mattingly rode in one of the leased vans that picked up disabled workers Wednesday morning. She wanted to do all she could to make the transition for the workers pleasant.

Box fans were being brought in for the disabled by Steve Boxdorfer, also rehired after quitting in March.

Terry Erlacker, who was inspecting plastic door shields at the workshop, said the atmosphere was better Wednesday. She said she didn't feel the pressure that existed while VIP managers were overseeing projects for the past three months.

"They had me working so hard that my arms got swelled up," Erlacker said. She said she had to take two weeks off without pay since VIP does not offer paid time off to disabled workers.

Tweedy said that will change along with salary scales. Although the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education allows workshops to pay the disabled as little as 52 cents an hour, Tweedy said he would raise Perry County's pay to a $1 minimum.

Many of the 50 or so handicapped workers have been earning 70 cents or less an hour, he said.

The pay is based on workers' productivity compared to non-handicapped workers performing the same jobs in industry, officials from the state Education Department have explained. The workshops build self-esteem for those who received Social Security subsidies, Medicaid and other financial support.

Only two persons did not go to work on Wednesday, Tweedy said. He expects three new handicapped employees to start Monday.

Erlacker said some probably wanted an extra day off after weeks of stress.

During the workday, members of the Perry County Senate Bill 40 board met at the workshop so they could be part of the workers' first day back under new management, said Patrick Naeger, board chairman and a state representative.

Certain transportation questions should be resolved soon, Naeger said. He presented a copy of a letter from the state Department of Transportation stating that matching funds used to purchase vans for the workshop were being returned to the former workshop operator. This is a big step in having the vans returned to Perry County from VIP Industries, Naeger said.

Ownership of the vans is one of several property issues that the board is continuing to examine since almost no equipment was left behind when VIP cleaned out the workshop Friday, Naeger said.

Jeff Regelsperger, who has been at the workshop since 1976, was just glad to see his co-workers return happily and to have an end to threats by other managers.

"This is home to me. All my friends are here," Regelsperger said. "Here for me is friendship."