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'Staff Quit. Y'all Be Easy': Employees At Family Dollar In Garfield Quit In Protest

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A message was posted on the door of the Family Dollar in Pittsburgh's Garfield neighborhood.

"Staff quit. Y'all be easy," the note read.

The sign wasn't on the door when KDKA showed up on Wednesday, and the store was open with one only worker inside manning the registers. She said she was called in to cover from the McKees Rocks store, but then she locked the doors up and went home, which caused quite a stir in the neighborhood.

FAMILY DOLLAR GARFIELD
(Photo Credit: Dodi Byrne)

"I'm very upset," said customer Emma Porco. "During the past several months, it's just been on a steady decline."

Garfield resident Dodi Byrne went to Family Dollar on Penn Avenue on Tuesday, only to find the note on the door.

KDKA's Amy Wadas: What went through your mind when you saw the sign yesterday?

Byrne: Oh no, not again.

"It's been kind of shaky where it's hit or miss if they're going to be open when you come over because they'll say they don't have enough staffing," Byrne added.

Former manager Heather Berry was one of the workers who walked off the job.

"There are no employees," said Berry. "One-hundred-five hours every week. It's too much, and he wanted me to be here by myself running two registers. This is a high-volume store."

The "he" Berry is talking about is her district manager. She said she was going to wait out her two weeks' notice but decided she couldn't take it anymore due to a lack of staffing and mistreatment. Berry said she and the store's only other worker quit.

"It was about 102 degrees in there. When we got the storm the other day, the power went out and they wanted me to hold tight until the power came back on. The power didn't come back on until noon the next day," said Berry. "This company is very hard to work for."

KDKA reached out to Family Dollar's corporate office for a comment on the situation. They sent KDKA a statement saying, "Our Garfield neighborhood store is open for business. We are not able to comment on the employment actions or status of individuals out of respect for their privacy."

The store has reopened​, and there are "Now Hiring" signs posted.

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