AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine Speaker of the House Mark Eves of North Berwick is urging Verso Paper Company to provide severance pay to workers at the Bucksport mill, as required by state law.
Eves says he is upset at reports the company may delay payments until next year. The mill, which employs about 500, is scheduled to shut down at the end of the month.
"This is the right thing to do, it's the lawful thing to do," Eves says. "It is - the coldest parts of the winter are coming. It's a pretty cold day out there right now. Christmas is here, the holidays are here and these workers have earned this."
Eves says he is urging the state take whatever action is needed to get the severance payments issued promptly.
Verso's employees are eligible for severance pay equal to a week's wages for every year of employment at the mill. The company wants to make the payments within three months, which it says is within the time frame in the union contract.