Employees of the former Holiday Inn on Greenfield Road have had enough.

About 15 employees and their children, the latter ranging in age from 3 to 12, began picketing the hotel Friday afternoon with signs that read, "It's our money and we want it now," "We have hungry kids" and "Pay my Mommy."

The employees say they haven't been paid in a month.

They had held off picketing until Friday because they feared for their jobs, they said. They now say they are working for free anyway, so they might as well picket.

Efforts to obtain comment from hotel officials were unsuccessful. The general manager refused to give his name and referred questions to corporate headquarters. A call there went unanswered because it was after business hours.

The hotel's ownership and management have been in flux since the beginning of the year. Atlanta-based Kronos Hotels & Resorts took over the hotel Jan. 15. However, lenders foreclosed on the hotel and 15 other properties owned by Kronos and turned over management to Dallas-based Prism Hotels and Resorts, according to reports in The Sunday News.

A company called Hyperion Hotel Investments LLC of Atlanta also is involved. A spokesman for Prism's public relations firm referred to Hyperion as the "owner's representative," but would not clarify which firm or firms was considered the owner.

Last month the facility had its Holiday Inn franchise revoked. Its restaurant was closed by state health inspectors and it was searched by state liquor control enforcement officers.

It also is being sued by the county for nonpayment of taxes.

Tom Showalter, who was an assistant general manager at the facility for a year and a half and acting general manager from July through December 2007, said he has been in daily contact with the employees since his departure.

Showalter said he plans to contact the state attorney general on their behalf.

Ricky Beltz, who has worked at the hotel's front desk for the past three months, said he had a paycheck bounce several weeks ago. He was told the problem would be fixed, but it has not been, he said.

"They still owe me for three weeks, and this week is technically four weeks," Beltz said.

Beltz said his checking account is overdrawn, and he can't buy anything for his 6-year-old son.

"They've just given us empty promises," Beltz said. "They promise it will change and it will be straightened out, but it's almost a month and nothing's been done."

The employees also have tried to collect unemployment, but were told that the company hadn't paid unemployment taxes in almost a year.

Employee Kathy Alvelo said they have just gotten the "runaround."

"I can be out on the street with my kids any day," she said.

The employees also said their work conditions are extremely bad.

The lights have been turned off three times for eight hours at a time, but they were expected to work in the dark.

The hotel leaks when it rains and flushing toilets can cause sewage backups in the rooms downstairs, they said.

"When it rains, it smells horrible," one employee said.

Even though health inspectors closed the restaurant, the employees are still given food from it, one employee said.

Earl Crosby, the front office manager, said he had just had surgery and has medical bills that he is unable to pay without his paycheck.

One of the hotel buildings where he works has mold in it, he said. He needs antibiotics to combat the mold, but he can't pay for them either, he said.

Cheila Santiago and Jeanette Santiago, both housekeepers, were laid off when Kronos Hotels took over, but haven't been paid their back wages.

"They have been playing with our money," Jeanette Santiago said. "We need it. We depend on it to pay our bills. All they care about is they will pay when they want to, yet they get paid."

Alvelo said the workers are never late, never call off sick and cope with all of the hotel's problems.

The employees said they would picket today and would keep picketing until they get their money.

One young girl said they weren't leaving until her mom gets paid. "My mommy works too hard for us," she said.

E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com