SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE OLD TOWN G-P MILL WORKERS ELIGIBLE FOR TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) and Susan M. Collins (R-ME) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor has determined that all workers at the Georgia-Pacific Corporation Pulp Mill in Old Town who were totally or partially separated from employment on or after April 4, 2005 are eligible to apply for federal trade adjustment assistance.  On March 15, 2006, G-P informed employees that it would cease pulp and paper manufacturing and associated tissue shipping operations at its Old Town mill facility.   “We are very pleased with the Department of Labor’s decision to extend trade adjustment assistance to the skilled and dedicated workers of Georgia-Pacific’s Old Town pulp mill.  This federal funding will provide essential support for G-P’s displaced employees as they strive to overcome the hardships of this mill closure, and we remain committed to assisting them in the future,” said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement.   The Federal Trade Act provides special benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program to those who were laid off or had hours reduced because their employer was adversely affected by increased imports from other countries.  These benefits include paid training for a new job and financial help in making a job search in other areas or relocation to an area where jobs are more plentiful.