Post by formeremployee on Sept 30, 2009 18:33:38 GMT -7
Hon. Michael Gravelle
Suite 101
215 Van Norman St.
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 4B6
Dear Michael:
My name is Don Finan and I live in Marathon, ON. I worked for the
Marathon Pulp Mill and Woodlands organizations for over forty-one years.
I retired on July 1, 1996, at the time, the mill was owned by James
River Corporation and the mill was called James River-Marathon Ltd.
Recently, I received a letter from Mercer, a consulting firm in
Toronto, who have been appointed to wind-up the pension plan, informing
me that my pension was only 60% funded and that my pension may be
reduced significantly if funds from the Ontario Pension Benefits Fund
are not secured to assist in topping up our pension fund.
As I explained, when I retired from James River-Marathon in 1996, I
am sure that the pension was fully funded and when James River sold the
mill to Tembec and Kruger a few years later and that the pension would
have been fully funded. I cannot see Tembec and Kruger acquiring the
mill with only partially funded pension funds.
Now I ask, why are we being penalized because Tembec and Kruger have
failed to meet their obligation with the pension funds since acquiring
the mill?
I paid into my pension for 41 years and now 13 years after retiring,
I am told that that my pension is going to be reduced. I also lost some
significant retirement benefits, such as $25,000.00 life insurance,
semi-private hospital, out of country travel insurance and prescription
drug plan. How is this allowed to happen when I did not even retire from
Tembec?
The way Tembec and Kruger, who jointly purchased the Marathon
operation from James River, have treated the mill employees and
retirees, is nothing short of criminal. People who worked their whole
careers in this mill certainly do not deserve to be treated as badly as
they have. The owners of this facility have turned their backs on these
employees after years of dedication.
My question at this time is, what are you, as our elected member, and
the Province of Ontario going to do to help us out?
One suggestion would be, for you and the Ontario Cabinet to make a
very very strong request to the Ontario Pension Benefits Fund to
allocate sufficient funds to cover the deficit that exists in the
pension funds, so that at least the Marathon employees and retirees can
receive the full pensions to which they have paid into and are entitled.
It seems to me that the Governments of Ontario and Canada could not
run fast enough to the big three automakers to bail them out with many
billions of dollars when bankruptcy was imminent. On the other hand, the
forest industry in the north is dying and we have seen very little if
any assistance from our governments.
Another suggestion might be to come to Marathon and talk, not to the
mayor and council who have never worked in the mill, but to mill workers
who have lost vacation pay, severance pay, banked overtime, banked
vacation, benefits as well as their livelihoods.
Another issue, which I believe requires your attention, is the matter
of an appeal by Tembec Industries Inc. filed July 24, 2009 for a hearing
before the Environmental review Tribunal, with respect to a Director’s
Order issued on July 13, 2009 requiring Tembec Industries Inc. to ensure
that an adequate supply of electricity is provided to the site described
in the Order, the pulp mill and associated facilities, as well as
security.
If this Review Tribunal allows Tembec, who without doubt owned and
managed the Marathon mill, to disassociate themselves from the Marathon
facility and their environmental responsibilities, it would set a major
precedent within the forest industry and a possible similar situation
with other pulp and paper mills. The environmental clean up and
potential demolition of such facilities would fall into the hands of the
Provincial Government and you and I the taxpayers of Ontario, and this
is totally unacceptable.
The Governments of Ontario and Canada must not allow companies like
Tembec to hide behind shell companies in order to avoid their
responsibilities to their own employees and the taxpayers of this
country.
I would expect you to look into my concerns and a response with your
thoughts on these important issues concerning the Town of Marathon and
the former employees of the pulp mill.
Yours truly,
Donald J Finan
Suite 101
215 Van Norman St.
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 4B6
Dear Michael:
My name is Don Finan and I live in Marathon, ON. I worked for the
Marathon Pulp Mill and Woodlands organizations for over forty-one years.
I retired on July 1, 1996, at the time, the mill was owned by James
River Corporation and the mill was called James River-Marathon Ltd.
Recently, I received a letter from Mercer, a consulting firm in
Toronto, who have been appointed to wind-up the pension plan, informing
me that my pension was only 60% funded and that my pension may be
reduced significantly if funds from the Ontario Pension Benefits Fund
are not secured to assist in topping up our pension fund.
As I explained, when I retired from James River-Marathon in 1996, I
am sure that the pension was fully funded and when James River sold the
mill to Tembec and Kruger a few years later and that the pension would
have been fully funded. I cannot see Tembec and Kruger acquiring the
mill with only partially funded pension funds.
Now I ask, why are we being penalized because Tembec and Kruger have
failed to meet their obligation with the pension funds since acquiring
the mill?
I paid into my pension for 41 years and now 13 years after retiring,
I am told that that my pension is going to be reduced. I also lost some
significant retirement benefits, such as $25,000.00 life insurance,
semi-private hospital, out of country travel insurance and prescription
drug plan. How is this allowed to happen when I did not even retire from
Tembec?
The way Tembec and Kruger, who jointly purchased the Marathon
operation from James River, have treated the mill employees and
retirees, is nothing short of criminal. People who worked their whole
careers in this mill certainly do not deserve to be treated as badly as
they have. The owners of this facility have turned their backs on these
employees after years of dedication.
My question at this time is, what are you, as our elected member, and
the Province of Ontario going to do to help us out?
One suggestion would be, for you and the Ontario Cabinet to make a
very very strong request to the Ontario Pension Benefits Fund to
allocate sufficient funds to cover the deficit that exists in the
pension funds, so that at least the Marathon employees and retirees can
receive the full pensions to which they have paid into and are entitled.
It seems to me that the Governments of Ontario and Canada could not
run fast enough to the big three automakers to bail them out with many
billions of dollars when bankruptcy was imminent. On the other hand, the
forest industry in the north is dying and we have seen very little if
any assistance from our governments.
Another suggestion might be to come to Marathon and talk, not to the
mayor and council who have never worked in the mill, but to mill workers
who have lost vacation pay, severance pay, banked overtime, banked
vacation, benefits as well as their livelihoods.
Another issue, which I believe requires your attention, is the matter
of an appeal by Tembec Industries Inc. filed July 24, 2009 for a hearing
before the Environmental review Tribunal, with respect to a Director’s
Order issued on July 13, 2009 requiring Tembec Industries Inc. to ensure
that an adequate supply of electricity is provided to the site described
in the Order, the pulp mill and associated facilities, as well as
security.
If this Review Tribunal allows Tembec, who without doubt owned and
managed the Marathon mill, to disassociate themselves from the Marathon
facility and their environmental responsibilities, it would set a major
precedent within the forest industry and a possible similar situation
with other pulp and paper mills. The environmental clean up and
potential demolition of such facilities would fall into the hands of the
Provincial Government and you and I the taxpayers of Ontario, and this
is totally unacceptable.
The Governments of Ontario and Canada must not allow companies like
Tembec to hide behind shell companies in order to avoid their
responsibilities to their own employees and the taxpayers of this
country.
I would expect you to look into my concerns and a response with your
thoughts on these important issues concerning the Town of Marathon and
the former employees of the pulp mill.
Yours truly,
Donald J Finan