Madison mill employees receive federal employment aid
The approximately 214 people that were “blindsided” by the March closure of the Madison Paper mill will receive federal Trade Adjustment Assistance to aid in their transition into joining the workforce.
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, along with U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, announced on Tuesday that the mill workers qualify for TAA benefits, which are available to employees who lose their job primarily due to foreign competition.
As reported in March of 2015, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that certain paper companies, including Port Hawkesbury Paper in Nova Scotia, received government subsidies in 2012 that allowed the mill to produce cheaper supercalendered paper putting American papermakers, like the Madison mill at a disadvantage.
“TAA plays an essential role in helping Americans across our country who, through no fault of their own, have lost their jobs as a result of foreign — and often unfair — competition,” Collins, King and Poliquin said in a joint release about the TAA assistance. “Our workers are the best in the world, and they can compete when there is a level playing field. TAA programs provide a crucial lifeline that enables displaced workers to acquire the new skills and training necessary to prepare for and pursue jobs in other industries.”
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