BUCKSPORT, Maine - Firetrucks, police cars and hundreds of people gathered in Bucksport to show their support for Verso Paper mill workers coming off their final shift at the soon-to-be-shuttered facility.
Verso announced in October that it was closing the 84-year-old mill, putting more than 500 people out of work. One of them is Roger Doyon. He says he worked at the mill for 27 years, three months and 20 days and never called in sick once.
Doyon says seeing all the support made this a "lump in the throat" kind of day.
"Bittersweet. a lot of emotions," he says. "The only thing I can say is I'm going to be sleeping in my own bed nights, holidays and week-ends. Not going to have to get up 3:30 in the mornings anymore - unless I get a different job that does that. But for now, I'm not going to have to do that."
One of those who showed up to support the Verso workers was Steve Hathaway, who retired from the mill four years ago. He says many of the people leaving the mill today are his friends. He says it's heartbreaking.
"I look at some of these people and I see the look on their faces and it's got to be an empty feeling," Hathaway says. "It has to be, to walk through the gate and know this is the last time. We've depended on this all our lives and suddenly it's gone."
Mark Stevens worked at the mill for 25 years and was just a year from retiring. He says he's most concerned about wages and benefits for younger workers.
The mill stopped production this month, and has said it will pay workers through the end of the year before officially laying them off.
