Thursday, June 04, 2009

A call for help for Evergreen workers. Petition.

Wes Chesbro
State Assembly
710 E Street, Suite 150
Eureka, CA 95501

Dear Assemblyman Chesbro:

If you will give us a moment of your time, we would like to inform you of our circumstances. We were employees of Evergreen Pulp, Inc. The company closed down and laid us off in the middle of October, 2008. Evergreen employed over 200 workers. Just imagine the stress, depression, and anxiety we are experiencing as a result of losing our life-long careers, loss of income, and loss of health insurance. Many of us either have no health insurance, or we are paying huge premiums with high deductibles. Factor into this the loss of our social network. We are suffering from the absence of the daily camaraderie of our family-like community of fellow workers.

All of this is devastating enough, but when you compound it by chronic health issues and the betrayal of a company in which we had faith and trust, it makes this blow so much harder to withstand. We believe Evergreen Pulp engaged in illegal business practices that violated our employees’ rights. Firstly, we were laid off without the notification requirements of the Federal and California WARN Act. Secondly, the company violated the Federal ERISA laws pertaining to pensions and COBRA coverage. Thirdly, the company willfully misled us into believing we had medical insurance when in fact they did not pay our medical bills for the months of October, November, and December. Some of our people have unpaid medical bills going back further than those months. The total of unpaid medical bills is over $400,000. We don’t know where to turn for help or if there is any justice for us.

Now, take into account the obstacles we face as unemployed, displaced workers in this time of economic down turn. We feel ill equipped to cope. We don’t know where to begin to regain some control over our reeling lives. We feel helpless and overwhelmed.

Also we want to inform you that our county is in desperate need of jobs. We are displaced workers in a county where jobs have been dwindling for years. This is the county where our children go to schools and where we have families and homes. Where is there to go from here?

We would appreciate any help or advice you can offer us. Our signatures and phone numbers are provided on a separate sheet.

Sincerely,

AWPPW, Local 49
Contact Person: Tom Reilly, Union President, home phone (707) 443-9267

If you are a past worker or a concerned local citizen, please sign a petition or call Wes Chesbro's office at 445-7014 and say you agree.

Joy Mathson put this letter together. Her husband John has cancer and has been going through chemo for awhile and has medical bills over $60,000 that his family thought was covered through our labor agreement. I have worked with John for over 25 years. Others from the mill have medical debts in question also. I am so upset this has happened to our membership. We need Single Payer Health coverage.

Or at least employers who are responsible.

7 comments:

  1. Julie Timmons9:34 AM

    Good letter. Will do. I assume you've sent something similar to Thompson?

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  2. Thanks Julie. Our local has been working with Thompson's office throughout this process.

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  3. This petition touched me so much, I just called Chesbro office. The response there seemed fairly informed on the situation. The belief seemed to be that two recourses were available--neither of which that office could help with. One was through the Dept of Labor which is responsible for making sure that COBRA is administered correctly and the other was a legal challenge through the courts.

    The man there (I failed to get his name, sorry) said that Simpson of Freshwater values the employees and hopes to work things out with them. Have you heard anything about this?

    He also suggested calling Thompson's office and speaking to a Liz Murgeea(Sp?). I would be willing to do so if you think this would be helpful.

    I'm so sorry for everyone who has invested so much for so long--believing that the system would take care of them and then discovering how badly they have been let down!

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  4. Kym-Thank you. Liz is well aware of our problems. A solution is what we are in need of.

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  5. Neal Latt10:12 PM

    Moving letter, Richard.

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  6. Anonymous7:51 AM

    It will move people like you and I but the only thing that moves Cheeseball is money and votes to stay in power. After all they named a beach trail after him and got money to pave Manila dunes. Maybe you should offer to name the mill after him. He is still sprnding tax money like drinking water on PC bullshit. Our politicians are a sick joke.

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  7. Bernie Alpert10:15 AM

    Hello all...Bernie Alpert here. I'm a consultant representing Evergreen and attempting to resolve the health service provider problems. I'm presently awaiting information regarding balances and contact information and should have the information this week. You can contact me at: bernie@alpert.biz ....Thanks you

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