EMPLOYEES of the trucking company Sunset Logistics have revealed that they were blindsided by the recent closure and shorted the money that they were promised.
Former drivers of Sunset Logistics in Michigan were shocked when they were given short notice of the company's closure and told that the $1,000 that they were owed would not be returned to them.
The company, which employed 90 truckers, was said to be shut down on September 25, due to ongoing financial issues, including low rates and increasing operating costs.
Eric Miller, who had driven for Sunset Logistics for two years was shocked at how they handled the situation.
“It was just very demoralizing the way [the owner] did it. He put 90 drivers out of work with no warning,” he told local NBC affiliate Wood-TV.
Another ex-employee who wished to remain anonymous also revealed that Sunset Logistics owes many of their drivers money, which they are now allegedly refusing to pay.
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“Each driver was required to pay $1,000 escrow when starting at Sunset Logistics, in which they were promised to receive that money back if they left or were terminated from the company," the anonymous employee told CDL Life.
"The drivers were informed they would not be getting escrow back as the owner cannot afford to pay it … Drivers were not even informed the company had closed until 2 days later, via mail! This is not right.”
In an alleged email obtained by the local station, Harvey (Buddy) Gainey III, the owner of the trucking company said he wants to pay his employees back, but he has no access to the money.
“The bank has seized our account and I have no control over paying anyone, including myself. That being said I am working with my lawyer to try to get the bank to release the funds necessary to pay the last check and escrow,” he allegedly wrote.
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Drivers from the company revealed that ten office staff were made aware of the closure on September 25, before word spread to the other truckers.
“What Buddy Gainey did was atrocious,” David Whetstone, a former employee who worked for the company for six months told the station.
“This kind of thing just doesn’t happen in trucking. Companies shut down, but they do it the right way, especially large companies like this one.”
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Harvey (Buddy) Gainey III for comment.
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