The Sun is Setting on Red Rock

I guess we spoke a little too soon. Red Rock made the front page of the local newspaper after all. It's a good article, although the writing isn't fantastic. This is a very sad, confusing and emotional time for this tiny community (about an hour Northeast of Thunder Bay - population 1000), where the liner board mill owned by Norampac, Inc. was the major employer. People are in a daze - out of work, ill-prepared to "adapt" to "the prevailing negative impact of several economic factors" (the mills recruited most of its workers right out of high school... before they graduated), standing helplessly by as the value of their homes drop (to less than $15,000 each, it is rumoured). People are losing both their livelihoods and their home. Maybe dazed isn't the most appropriate word - traumatized would be more accurate.

The link to the article on Red Rock.

The link to Norampac Inc.'s press release, which is very clear about the increase in profitability in the period before the mill in Red Rock closed and obtuse about the reasons why the corporation closed the mill. Yes, the mill itself is old and expensive. But whose fault is that?

A climate of fear

Some of you may have heard about the mills closing up north and the troubles with the forest industry. It's very devastating, and I'm sure we will write at length about it. Ontario's provincial government just swept in to our little city on Nov. 21 to announce a $1 billion energy rebate plan to support this ailing industry. An editorial was later written about this planned investment called, "Just enough is not enough." I think many people up here in the northern communities would have to agree. Here is a letter from Friday's Chronicle Journal written by one of these concerned citizens:

A climate of fear

I have been a Bowater employee for 28 years. The current problems at our mill are multiple and varied. Power cost is the most pressing. What has now been shown by our government and MPPs, is that we have been given a false sense of hope and then had the rug pulled out from underneath us. Every employee knew that when the contents of the Premier's press conference were announced, we were in serious trouble ("Energy rebate plan in place," Nov. 21). Our mill is being run by people who have already shut down a paper mill, and it appears they may have the intention to do it again.

We used to be a world-class newsprint producer, shipping paper around the world. Now we struggle to make bags for fast food restaurants. The reason is that all of our newsprint orders have been shipped to other Bowater mills in the U.S.

If our local MPPs believe this is such a good deal from their government, I ask, "How is it good?" Maybe the rebate money won't even won't even stay here. Remember Bowater's Softwood Lumber Tariff rebate? Every last cent of it went to the American head office. How did that help our mill?

MPPs Bill Mauro and Michael Gravelle applauded their leader's announcement. "I wanted some assurance that it would be helpful to the industry," said Mauro, pointing to the company executives' comments.

Gravelle predicted benefits through the program. "(Companies) have made it clear to us this will make them more competitive and help keep them open," he said.

How is this helpful to the industry - giving corporations free money without ensuring that it be used to keep jobs here? Of course the companies have made it clear it will help - with their bottom line!

Christmas came early to Bowater Inc., with this rebate. For the employees it may be a dismal time indeed. We have already lost many jobs to reorganization and restructuring - "corporatespeak" for cutting jobs. The strange thing is the majority of people let go are union people (close to 300) while company staff had a mere 20 layoffs!

There is a climate of fear at Bowater. It permeates throughout the mill. Employees are afraid for their jobs, their families and full of uncertainty for their future. Loyal, long-time employees of 26 years and more could be cast aside when they are no longer needed. This type of corporate attitude used to be confined to other places and other countries; now it has come to reside in our own town.

Employees are instructed to produce more, with fewer people. One area of the mill used to have three employees per shift. Now there is only one. The workload however, has not diminished. An impossible task!

People are told to come in on their day off to work overtime, even though it would be easier and cheaper to bring in laid-off employees at straight time. The management team at Bowater has been telling us for months that wages are not a factor in our troubled times, but apparently it is now an issue. Perhaps to replace the hydro rebates (taxpayers' money) heading to head office in the U.S.A. instead of remaining here, where is was intended to offset our mill costs.

My wife and I will not attend the company's scheduled meetings - our solutions are not wanted or listened to. Even though the employees have had good ideas on cost saving, they are ignored.

The plans they have are unknown at this time. Bowater is following a corporate agenda that is not in the best interests of its employees or our community.

When all is said and done, the citizens of Thunder Bay will feel the impact on their taxes, in our collective economy and the unemployment rate. I hope it is remembered come provincial election time!

My even speaking about these facts could cost me my job, but I will not remain silent while corporate spin doctors distort the truth.

Kelly Sherlock
Thunder Bay

While this letter was printed and read, the mill in Red Rock, which closed just recently, remains out-of-sight in the media and consequently not on many peoples' minds. The closure of this mill, which gave our uncles employment and so many people living in that small community, a place where our mother and her family grew up and some still live, could be the death of this small town. Just enough, we'd have to say, is certainly not enough.