NEG- New Page Paper Mill

Award Description: The New Page Corporation Operations in Rumford, Maine, operated by New Page Corporation of Miamisburg Ohio, is the major employer in the Rumford Area of Oxford County Maine. The last ten years have seen repeated lay offs, adjustments of workforce, graduated reduced hours of operations depending on production orders, operations of specific paper-making machines on site, and general economic conditions. The latest lay offs are, however, intensified in number and permanence, suggesting the possibility of events and issues yet to come. This lay off of New Page workers is the second one during the last twelve months: it involves 130 people, 100 of whom are workers/union members and 30 of whom are salaried. Since the lay offs are being done in smaller groups, the Rapid Response sessions to date have had minimal attendance and so have produced only 37 number of worker surveys. Apparently, workers are waiting to receive their termination notices individually before they begin the process and events involved in being officially unemployed. As the only major employer in Rumford, Maine, the New Page lay offs have had and will continue to have an even greater negative impact on Rumford and Northern Oxford County. Although Trade funding has been applied for and some support structures have already been put in place (see Services to Date below), retraining and redirecting these workers from a declining manufacturing sector will be a major challenge, particularly in light of the education, employment history, and economic status of the workforce in this sector. Affected workers will be served with these funds to enroll in programs and receive necessary support services. This grant award projects planned enrollment of 75 partiicipants.

Project Name: NEG- New Page Paper Mill

Quarterly Activities Description: The original NEG application for New Page was submitted on March 11, 2009 and the final award was made six months later by USDOL-ETA on September 24, 2009. The company was certified as TAA eligible on August 21, 2009 therefore training and support services had to be paid through TAA and NEG funds could not be spent. In February 2010 all bargaining unit workers were recalled. Thus the grant was underspent by $246,284.41.