CRISIS CENTER OPEN AGAIN

The Regional Family Crisis Center in Perryville is again open for around-the-clock residential service after the termination of five employees caused the battered women's shelter to stop that service for several months.

"We are open for business 24 hours per day now," said Carlene Rauh, president of the board of directors of the center that serves victims of domestic violence and other types of family crisis.

Five employees, the entire staff except for director Dr. Linda Fulton, were fired in March. According to the board of directors, the employees were terminated because the center needed to be reorganized. Those fired maintained it was because the workers filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board about working conditions.

Three employees who were terminated filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. That complaint is still being investigated, said Ralph Tremain, regional director of the NLRB in St. Louis.

Until it reopened this month, the center's 24-hour residential service had been closed since March because there were not enough employees to staff it. However, the center remained open during regular business hours, a 24-hour hot line was answered and clients were assisted in finding a safe place, getting protection orders and finding services.