ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY
Stanley Sykes was one of the first International Paper mill workers to come out of a meeting with the governor Friday afternoon.
For the time being, the 49-year-old is a paper maker on the No. 1 machine. He's the fourth generation of his family to work at the mill that looms over the city of Franklin. He's been there for 31 years, and he's one of about 1,100 millworkers who won't have a job by early next year.
"Too much seniority and too young," Sykes said, shaking his head. "My father, my grandfather and my great-grandfather worked here. I hope the good Lord is looking after all of us."
Sykes was one of the first names Gov. Timothy M. Kaine mentioned when he left the small brick building where he met with officials and mill workers. Kaine said the state has to do something for the workers first.
"This has been a very sobering experience," Kaine said in the mill's parking lot. "I'm inspired by the pride in work these people show, the pride in this community. Our immediate response has got to be helping these workers."
Then, Kaine said, "What can we do with International Paper?"
The company announced last week that the mill will close by spring. International Paper locations affected by the downswing in the paper business are in Isle of Wight County and elsewhere. It means that 1,600 workers in all will lose their jobs.
Carroll Story, who heads the union at the mill, said t he governor did give the workers some hope for the future.
The state, Kaine said, will focus first on assuring the future of the millworkers losing their jobs. Then, there will be an emphasis on re using the plant and on economic development for the area.
"This is an odd situation," Kaine said. "We got word yesterday that the recession is over. Virginia's unemployment rate is 3 to 4 points less than the national average. Some of the people here have lost both jobs, husband and wife. We need to have intense dialogue about the future of this facility."
Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com
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Can't compare Ford closing to
International paper closing the mill in Franklin. Ford motor Co. offered relocation to many, Paid big buyouts to most. These greedy people are offering a mere pittance compared to the Ford plant. Here you got folks with 30+ years at the mill and 50 years old, too young to retire and too old to be thinking about a new career. An extremely specialized workforce, who take great pride in what they do and have done for 3 and 4 generations, faced closure unless they met overwhelming milestones with a greatly reduced workforce (previous layoffs)not to mention the fact that up until the day they announced the mill was closing was the most productive paper mill in the International Paper organization. Hired people less than a month ago and led everyone to believe they had weathered the storm and all of a sudden they pull the rug from under these fine folks. Did I mention they just opened a new mill in Brazil? Cheap labor -vs- unionized labor = 1100 lost jobs in the U.S. Here comes cap & trade, nationalized health care and a new climate bill, all of which will worsen an already bad situation. More change anyone?
says workers need help; hate
says workers need help; hate to see gov go, this guy is sharp!
Let's see...
Kaine lost the Ford plant in Norfolk, the paper plant in Franklin and nearly Oceana in Virginia Beach. I can only imagine all the other businesses that have gone under during his Governorship. At least he has his position as chairman of the DNC to fall back on...maybe he'll do to it what he has done to Virginia. If we could be so lucky...
Paperweight Factory is doing just fine
Not everything is closing in Franklin.
Read all about it -
http://tidewaterlog.blogspot.com/2009/10/franklin-paperweight-factory-to-stay.html
Franklin's People are Strong
The people here know hard times are coming but will not wallow in bitterness or pointless political finger pointing.
Our help won't come from Washington or Richmond but, by God's grace, from within.
I'm thankful Governor Kaine came here and I wish our next Governor wisdom and courage, but no matter who's elected on Tuesday we will struggle. Perhaps, these terrible events will allow us to recover the self reliance and faith to rebuild that our ancestors had in 1865.
I was born in New Jersey but my place is here.
Hey Timmy....While you were
Hey Timmy....While you were off working with the DNC to raise money for your socialist agenda, Virginia workers were losing jobs. Mark my words, unions notwithstanding, the democrats are going to feel the wrath of the voters in 2010. Keep up the good work for the DNC.
Paper Mill
Kaine, Warner,& Webb are the politicians who persuaded them to keep the mill open. Never happen! Shows how much pull and favor the politicians have anymore....NONE. No one has respect for senators and representatives anymore because they all "appear" to be two-faced and less than honest with their people. Where's Jesse, Al and Paul when we need them,....not enough blacks work there for them to become involved.
International Paper Closing
Whats wrong with you!! We've all known International Paper would close the Franklin mill when it was purchased 10 years ago. Not just "if" but "when" it would close. No politicians, NOT EVEN Jessie , Al or Paul, could help in the closure. Why do you even mention race or these men? You are so narrow minded.
Did You say That
Are you saying the papermill practice discrimnation.
Did You Say That Prairiedog
Does someone think Interntional Paper has a discrimination problem? Maybe the mill is closing because of black people? What's wrong with you prairiedog?
Future governors are going to be real busy
visiting the tobacco companies, coal mines, and railroads when they are forced to shut down due to cap and trade and other politically correct policies. It's coming. By the way, when a paper campany shuts down, what happens to the jobs in logging and the truckers who hauled the logs to the plant?
I HOPE FUTURE GOVERNORS
prove to be more pro-active. Make sure they have ongoing talks with businesses that employ so many people in this region-and others. Kaine let Apple Computers slip away from Virginia. And don't forget USAA moving so many employees out of the largest military complex in the nation and back to Texas. Warner and Kaine don't have a good jobs record. Let's hope our next Governor improves that big time. Go Bob!
All those jobs that were "saved or created?"
I guess these 1,600 lost jobs, the 23 in Chesapeake, and all the others we hear about daily will need to be deducted from the next "good news" flash from the White House.
apparently
instead of deducting them, they add them - you know how they have that 'new math' in the White House now.
GOVERNOR'S VISIT
It's fine that the Governor of the state want to come to Franklin and share some grief with the workers of the paper mill but if you really think he can do something for them then look at the Ford plant in Norfolk. It closed and what was the state able to do to keep that plant up and running or the workers employed? It's a good gesture but really hollow. I feel bad for the workers. Good luck to them and Franklin.
Unemloyment will not abate
Unemloyment will not abate until Obama changes direction with his job killing policies. Businesses are not hiring because they don't know what's happening. If Obamacase and Cap and Trade are approved businesses will pay more in taxes. That money has to be made up somewhere and that usually means cutting personnel costs, which are a business's biggest expense. Why hire someone now just to lay them off next year due to the increased tax burden of Obama's socialist agenda? The only way to pull the country out of a recession and create jobs is to releive the burden on the entities who actually create jobs, not threaten to increase it. You cannot tax the country out of a recession and you can't tax a country into creating jobs.
Oh but remember
the stimulus CREATED OR SAVED 650,000 jobs!!!!! Per Obama administration!!
Haven't figured out where they are yet, but hey, if they say they are there, who are we to question? (Yes, I'm being sarcastic!)
To Little Too Late
The Governor needs to continually keep a eye on business and a finger on the pulse of the Commonwealth, to be both effecient and effective. Sorry for the folks in Franklin, but the current administration did nothing for all-you-all, or the town. Good luck on your new future, in New America. Come next Tuesday, one mud-slinger will prevail. Have yet to hear of progressive or forward looking plans and/or programs to deal with anything from either. Sorta feels like the wild, wild west listening to candidates in the top three state spots. The town folk need to clear the streets and run off the porch when the mud-slingers come to town and toss substance-void barbs back and forth. IP will retain some footprint in Franklin as the site's environmental legacy will require some actions and oversight for many years. Then again, they do have a dandy wastewater treatment mega-lake that might be suitable for development of waterfront properties - can we say Disney World North? NASCAR on the Pond? OLF in the Woods? 3-eyed bass? Kaine's been a waste.
Good luck to everyone.
There's enough blame to go around for the current economic mess. Whomever was elected would have had a nightmare to deal with. I am really unimpressed with the Obama administration. I live in the city in Wisconsin with the highest unemployment rate. 17%. The GM plant in Janesville closed taking with it all the jobs the suppliers and haulers had. Also Belvidere, IL 25 miles from here, has a Chrysler plant that while still running, is not at full capacity. A lot of local people were involved in one or the other. Years ago, maybe 10, was before we moved here, the main industry in this city was a paper mill. Through greed and mismanagement, it bit the dust. The city has still not recovered and won't in the forseeable future.
Used to live in Chesapeake, good luck to everyone and hopefully things will start to improve for everyone soon.
Well
How is that "Hope" and "Change" working for you Virginia?