Kagen And Petri Join Forces To Support Kimberly Paper Workers
(APPLETON, WI) — Congressmen Steve Kagen and Congressman Tom Petri joined forces today in a letter to the U.S. Labor Department to request emergency assistance for workers who will be affected by the closure of NewPage Corporation’s Kimberly Mill.
In January, NewPage Corporation announced that it would close part of one of its plants and cut 96 jobs. At the end of last month, the company announced the mill would shut down completely, eliminating about 470 papermaking jobs. NewPage also closed its Niagara, Wisconsin, mill on July 12, putting 319 people out of work.
Kagen and Petri requested Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) grants for the workers, who are losing their jobs because of competition from imports. The aid includes extended unemployment benefits, help with health care insurance, substantial job training, and other education support, Kagen said.
“Hundreds of hard working men and woman here in Kimberly will soon find themselves out of work as a direct result of the failed NAFTA trade policies,” Kagen said. “NAFTA is nothing more than a free give-away of our manufacturing jobs. The very least we can do is secure TAA benefits for everyone. Then, let’s negotiate balanced trade agreements to create a level playing field for American workers and our families across America.”
Petri agreed.
“The Kimberly Mill has highly-skilled workers who turn out a first-class product,” Petri said. “If they can’t continue to do the same jobs, they deserve our help in getting their careers back on track.”
According to the Pulp and Paper Products Council, foreign imports grew from 650,000 tons in 2000 to 1.2 million tons in last year. During the same time, domestic demand remained flat.
“Clearly, the closing of the Kimberly Mill has taken place in an atmosphere of rising imports,” the two Congressmen argued in their letter to the Labor Department.
