Smurfit Stone Confirms Temporary Lay Off of Mill Employees
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Updated: 9:55 PM Nov 17, 2008
Smurfit Stone Confirms Temporary Lay Off of Mill Employees
Smurfit-Stone's media relations and public affairs department has confirmed a temporary shut-down at the paper mill, but haven't released much else.
Posted: 7:56 PM Nov 17, 2008
Reporter: Kristy Wolski
Email Address: kristy.wolski@wjhg.com

Smurfit Stone Update
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Although Smurfit-Stone's media relations and public affairs department confirmed the shut-down, they haven't released much else.

What News Channel 7 does know is the mill will be closing on November 22nd, for at least 40 days. The official statement is the mill is ceasing production for "market related downtime," but officials cannot say if the mill will definitely reopen after the 40 day period. They also would not say how many people this will affect, but a local employment agency did confirm the number of layoffs.

"We've been in close contact with the HR department at Smurfit Stone. From what we understand there's approximately 425 employees that will be laid off through Christmas. We've worked out a plan where we'll most likely be going on site and providing assistance, answering questions and helping them fill out their necessary paperwork for unemployment," said Wilson Hair, Work Force Center Coordinator.

Smurfit Stone media relations officials say they notified workers of the closure on Friday. However, some of the mill workers we spoke to Monday were afraid to go on camera, but said they still haven't been officially notified of the closure.

Although it is normal for the mill to shut down for several weeks for maintenance, this is the first market related shut down in quite some time.


Latest Comments

Posted by: From The Wife's Point of View Location: Wewahitchka on Nov 18, 2008 at 08:04 PM

There has not been any offical notification to the employee's as far as we know. It is a shame that they are doing this at the holiday's, but it's even worse that there was no notice so that we could prepare. It's not enough that the union has been fighting for almost a year just to keep the benefits that we currently have, they are also having to fight for the retired workers and to keep a lunch break for the workers when they have to work a 16 hour shift. I don't know about anyone else, but I would definetly want a lunch break if I had to work 16 hours in a place that already does not guarantee a lunch in a 12 hour shift. I have seen my husband go to work with his lunch and come home 12 hours later with the same lunch. If I remember correctly this is what started happening when they shut down the mill in Port St. Joe, and look how that turned out. PSJ has never fully recovered. We all hope and pray that the mill will go back up, but we all better be prepared in case it doesn't.
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Posted by: :( on Nov 18, 2008 at 08:11 AM

Nobody has said anything official to us either....doing this over the holiday sort of hurts the wallet but what can ya do. I just hope they open back up in January.
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Posted by: So Sad on Nov 18, 2008 at 05:54 AM

Why would any company do this right before the Holidays ??? It is really sad to think of all of the familys that this is going to effect...If you have a good job around here just remember it isnt guarented and do your best at it and Thank God everyday U have it....
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