Protesters challenge Peck’s firing

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

NARROWSBURG, NY — A crowd stood 300 strong in front of Peck’s Market in Narrowsburg last Friday, protesting CEO Lee Reimer’s decision to fire Doreen Kraus, an employee at the store since 1979.

“We want Doreen back,” one woman yelled repeatedly as the demonstration began. The crowd denounced the firing while commending Kraus’ “personal touch” in her work as the store’s head cashier.

The intention of the protest was to convince Peck’s to reconsider Reimer’s decision, though some demonstrators said they would seek more leverage by boycotting the store. They implored others to stop buying even daily bread and milk at Peck’s until Kraus’ position is reinstated.

Josephine Gerrity has lived in this small community for 50 years and never witnessed a demonstration of this size in Narrowsburg.

“Never. Not in our town,” Gerrity said. “Our town is a nice little town.”

But the organizers of the protest, Colin and Linda Peters, felt the community needed to hear their feelings about Reimer’s decision.

“Our whole idea was just to make the community aware of what happened,” said Colin Peters, owner of Peters Pharmacy of Narrowsburg.

“The punishment didn’t fit the offense,” he said of Reimer’s action. “There are other ways of resolving the matter.”

What is known is that Peck’s board of directors, where Kraus is an officer, decided on April 29 to place a surcharge on certain newspapers. In the week that followed, Kraus waived the fee for an unknown number of customers who complained about the surcharge. She said she wanted to prevent people from buying their newspapers elsewhere.

“I couldn’t see customers going across the street,” Kraus said.

She was fired May 6 without notice, but according to Reimer, Kraus had been warned after a previous personnel violation.

One week later, soon after protesters began approaching the front doors at Peck’s, Reimer came outside to comment.

“We have reviewed our circumstances this past week. It is an unfortunate situation. But the decision that we made we have to keep,” Reimer said. “Doreen knew the consequences of what she was doing.”

Angry people questioned him and continued to threaten a boycott. Kraus, who did not attend the protest, said that while she was “humbled” by her supporters, she would not advocate a boycott.

“The only thing that’s going to do is hurt my friends,” she said. “God knows I don’t want to do that. I want Peck’s to thrive.”

Kraus said, “I’m totally humbled by what the town did. I’m proud of the town and I’m proud of me for making people feel this way.”

Would she take her job back if it were offered?

“Of course. I believe in Peck’s Market. I believe it will always be there,” Kraus said.

About 280 people signed a petition requesting a “conscientious reconsideration” of Reimer’s decision and a “lesser penalty.” A statement on the petition reads, “Doreen Kraus is held in high regard in this community and we will not be indifferent to the manner in which Mrs. Kraus has been treated.”

Colin Peters said his decision to organize the protest put his business on the line. But, he said, “There comes a time in one’s life when you draw the line. I think this was the time.”

Still, he stressed, the protest did not intend to promote a boycott of any of Peck’s five stores in Sullivan County, which together employ 279 people.

“We have a symbiotic relationship,” Peters said. “One business thrives on the other. The common goal is to stay financially viable and have a good community relationship. I don’t want them [Peck’s] to go down.”

Peck’s board of directors was scheduled to meet May 18, though it is uncertain whether members planned to discuss Kraus’ reinstatement.

Kraus’ daughter, Sue Jones, traveled from Binghamton, NY to attend the demonstration.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud to be my mother’s daughter,” Jones said.