Occupiers leave mill

NACKAWIC, New Brunswick (AP) – A group of angry and desperate mill workers ended their occupation of a New Brunswick pulp and paper plant that closed without warning earlier this week.

“We did all that we could,” said a tired Brady Moore, who occupied the mill with about 30 co-workers.

The protesters said they are the victims of American greed and corporate heartlessness. The mill is owned by Parsons and Whittemore of New York.

The workers drifted out of the empty mill on Wednesday, ending an occupation that began on Tuesday night to protest the closure of the St. Anne-Nackawic pulp mill and the loss of about 400 jobs.

The company has applied to put the large mill, which produces high quality paper for photography, into receivership.

Some of the workers fought back tears as they spoke to news reporters about the loss of the mill and their jobs. Barry Cernivz said he was only three years from retirement.

“I’ve been here for 35 years,” he said. “I’ve done my job here. But what’s going to happen now? I’d like to see the owner standing here, answering some questions.”

Parsons and Whittemore has said only that it decided to close the plant suddenly and without warning on Tuesday because of financial problems.

The company said in a statement the rising Canadian dollar and the high cost of wood were factors in the decision to close.

“It’s American greed,” said Jim Rockwell, a mill worker and executive member of the local branch of the Canadian Autoworkers Union. “In our opinion the company played dirty pool.”

The New Brunswick government says it is trying to find a new owner for the mill, which was the main employer in the town of Nackawic, population 1,000.

In addition to the 400 jobs at the mill, hundreds of other people will be affected in the New Brunswick forest industry, the largest industry in the province.

AP-ES-09-15-04 1214EDT