AbitibiBowater’s decision to file for bankruptcy protection in the courts will certainly raise more concerns for workers in the central region who are questioning what the impact will be on pension and severance benefits, says Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones.

“We have been questioning government in the House of Assembly for the past several weeks regarding any potential bankruptcy proceedings at AbitibiBowater,” said Ms. Jones. “Each time a question was posed regarding pension and severance benefits for workers, government refused to deal with the issues saying they would not address hypothetical situations. Today’s bankruptcy proceedings are now a reality and it is time for government to state publicly whether they have any plan in place to help workers should their benefits packages be affected. The company has stated that they will not be paying out severance payments, and if this is the case, government must step forward to fill this void for the workers. Government now owns the resources, will make the profits and former workers cannot be forgotten.

“The silence of government on these issues is no longer acceptable and workers deserve to hear what concrete action, if any, will be taken to protect them and their financial livelihoods. If government has no plans of providing any assistance to workers who may lose benefits, that should be stated so people can plan for their future. Former employees are looking at their options and these financial benefits are playing a big role in their decision-making process.”