Warner to ask International Paper to reconsider closing Franklin mill

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner says he'll try to convince International Paper to reconsider its decision to shut down its plant in Franklin, which would put 1,100 people out of work.

[VA Resident]

Businesses need a reason to stay... Give them one... or find another company/industry to take its place. Federal aid for unemployment. Help these people who work there start their own papermill. I'm sure they can do it. I'm sure there would be a "pkg deal" from International Paper for them to find another job... Also being a military family, remember sometimes you need to Move... to find another job. Good Luck. I dont' mean anything to the families and community affected just the fact the Reps think they can change the business's minds. They're probably having a decrease in business. Offer to take pay cuts (top executives) for a couple years for the business to build back up... and increase back after the business hits' 5% more on the stock markets... make it work...

[Carl]

Too little, too late. International Paper does not care about their employees anymore.

[Kim Werner]

IP: Another example of corporate greed with no concern for those people losing their jobs. Where was the big dog when the news broke? Not supporting the workers, probably off somewhere on his private corporate jet. What a loser!

[Franklin Resident]

It is easy to say move or move on. However, it isn’t only the employees and families of International Paper affected by this. It is A LOT more. You have all of the loggers, contractors, spotters, railroad, and private companies and ALL of their families. Not to mention the entire City and businesses. There are already talk that some businesses will close not to mention the city will be reduced to a town. This will then take away even more jobs including the law enforcement that will greatly be needed. Not ONLY Franklin will be doing this the other cities directly and indirectly involved with the mill will be affected. You say find another business/industry to take its place. Well that would be nice and has been offered. HOWEVER, International Paper said that there would NEVER be any paper ran from that mill again. They would rather it sit empty and fall apart then to sell it for ANYONE to come in and use it for paper or any other purpose. It is the second largest paper mill in the United States therefore it seems International paper is not going to take the chance of any competition coming in that is why they’d rather it fall down then sell. How are the people that live in these areas going to move? Who is going to buy their house when there are so many on the market already in better situations then these? Where are these people going to find a job when directly 1100 IP employees, or released by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership late Thursday predicts that 2,400 other jobs in the region would be lost as a result of the closure. Also the other jobs that will be lost due to cut backs and closures of the business in the area. All of these people will be looking for a job. Some families have more than one person in the mill. Last year when there was layoffs there was people greatly affected-suicides even. Now I pray that someone can help for the sake of EVERYONE. There is no easy way out or way to move on as you say. The CEO got his $11million bonus he doesn’t care. They have been putting in new equipment and fixing machines in the last few months. Asking for people to work overtime to help with the orders they have. Tell me why they are doing this if they have no money and no demand for paper. Is it so they have a bigger write off? The packages offered are not nearly what they should be for the people that put their life at risk daily it is a joke. For a lot of the employees have spent their entire life there it is all they know how are they going to get another job? Now people are scared to go to work wondering if someone is going to go crazy. IP is also a little concerned why else would Black Water Security be there? They aren’t as concerned for the employees as they are for the mill. They are acting like they care sending in people to talk with the employees. The funny thing is these people have been there all along and are the managers for these departments but have no clue who it is they are talking to. When one of the managers went to the funeral for an employee affected last year by the layoff. She was ushered by one of her employees to the deceased’s wife didn’t even realize that this was one of her employees she was talking to. The departments aren’t that big. If they cared they would have been talking with everyone since last year not just now. You tell me what the answer is.

[volpe boykin]

These jobs are being moved to International Papers Brazil paper mills.They can pay them $3.00 an hour their with no safety and enviromental regulations. The U.S Government needs to prevent any product produced by jobs moved from the United States from being sold in the United States.

[IP Spouse]

I personally have seen the change since International Paper took over and they do not care about the employee, their families or being fair. The employees worked hard, even with the fear of shut downs and lack of once abundant overtime. IP set most of their employees up for failure from their schedules which left their employees not able to attend classes to better their chances of job advancement or moving to a different type of employment entirely to keeping them on the roller coaster of do they close or don't they to keep production up and costs down.

I think Frank/Southampton county would be well within their rights to take the property thru Eminent Domain because allowing that property to remain vacant would cause "blight" in almost all of franklin and southampton county.. not to mention the surrounding area.

IP refuses to sell the property because they don't want competition but competition is what prevents monopoloy? Completition keeps prices low.. competition is what we WANT in America!

These people being layed off are supposed to go looking for work. WHERE? I know people all over the country who can't find work. Young men able and willing to do anything. Most of IP workers were family men and women. Good providers. Most over the age of 35.

Why not take back what IP has been so selfish with. Take back the land. Turn it into something productive.

To all the hard working people from IP: HOLD ON TIGHT IT WILL BE A ROUGH RIDE BUT STICK TOGETHER, HELP ONE ANOTHER, PRAY ALOT AND YOU WILL MAKE IT THRU THIS!

[Quinton]

IP does not care about Franklin,They buy up good companies,sell the land,move in their incompetent managers and run the equip into the ground.They claim to be one of the most respected companies in the US.Respected by whom ????? If all the Unions in the IP sites would strike at once it would send a message but the Unions do not have any power to stop anything only if you are auto workers do you get a break in this country.Dirty Bastards !

[Dick Patt the Diplomat]

IP Spouse wrote:

I personally have seen the change since International Paper took over and they do not care about the employee, their families or being fair. The employees worked hard, even with the fear of shut downs and lack of once abundant overtime. IP set most of their employees up for failure from their schedules which left their employees not able to attend classes to better their chances of job advancement or moving to a different type of employment entirely to keeping them on the roller coaster of do they close or don't they to keep production up and costs down.
I think Frank/Southampton county would be well within their rights to take the property thru Eminent Domain because allowing that property to remain vacant would cause "blight" in almost all of franklin and southampton county.. not to mention the surrounding area.
IP refuses to sell the property because they don't want competition but competition is what prevents monopoloy? Completition keeps prices low.. competition is what we WANT in America!
These people being layed off are supposed to go looking for work. WHERE? I know people all over the country who can't find work. Young men able and willing to do anything. Most of IP workers were family men and women. Good providers. Most over the age of 35.
Why not take back what IP has been so selfish with. Take back the land. Turn it into something productive.
To all the hard working people from IP: HOLD ON TIGHT IT WILL BE A ROUGH RIDE BUT STICK TOGETHER, HELP ONE ANOTHER, PRAY ALOT AND YOU WILL MAKE IT THRU THIS!

Are you suggesting that an outlying landing field for U.S. Navy jets stationed at Fentress Field and Oceana be built there!?

[Dick Patt the Diplomat]

volpe boykin wrote:

These jobs are being moved to International Papers Brazil paper mills.They can pay them $3.00 an hour their with no safety and enviromental regulations. The U.S Government needs to prevent any product produced by jobs moved from the United States from being sold in the United States.

How is that ever going to happen if Brazil is paying off this Nation's dept?