About a dozen laid-off employees from the Smurfit stone paper mill can return to work Monday.

Union representatives say the Mill's general manager has requested the maintenance workers to begin work at the mill again on Monday.

The president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers say the mill is supposed to start calling production workers back at the start of the New Year.

Smurfit Stone representatives tell News Channel Seven they are still trying to negotiate contracts, however, they hope to have everyone back to work by January 5th.