WASHINGTON – Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) applauded a decision by the Department of Labor to release over $3.9 million to assist approximately 3,662 trade-affected dislocated workers from a range of industries in Michigan.  Stupak had previously written the Secretary of Labor on July 12, asking that additional funding be allocated to assist 210 displaced workers in Gaylord, Michigan. 

“I am pleased to see the Department of Labor come through with this funding, which will mean a great deal to folks in Gaylord who are struggling to adjust to the closure of the Georgia Pacific plant,” Stupak said.  “I wrote Secretary Chao last month on this issue because workers who had gone to their Michigan Works! office had been told that allotted Trade Adjustment Assistance funds had been depleted.”

The funding is being authorized under the Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which provides employees negatively impacted by trade with job retraining, job search and relocation allowances, income support and other reemployment services. 
“This assistance will help put people in Gaylord back to work and ease at least some of the hardship folks are experiencing,” Stupak said.   “Gaylord wants to return to work and these programs are designed to help people do so.”

In April, the Department of Labor initially classified the 210 workers impacted by the Georgia Pacific plant closure as eligible for TAA benefits.  The $3.9 million released by the Department of Labor now goes to the Michigan State Department of Labor, which will allocate the funding to local agencies, such as Michigan Works!

“The next step is making sure that the local agencies apply for and receive this funding so that they provide services to workers,” Stupak said.  “I will continue working to ensure this money moves through the pipeline and is distributed to the folks in Gaylord who need it.”

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Note: the text of Stupak’s letter requesting additional TAA funding from the Department of Labor is below.  
 

July 12, 2006

Secretary Elaine Chao
U.S. Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20210                                                               

Dear Secretary Chao:

I am writing on behalf approximately 210 displaced workers in Gaylord, Michigan and difficulties encountered with funding for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.

On March 6, 2006 Georgia Pacific Corporate officials told workers the Gaylord Plant was being closed permanently. The announcement stunned employees who did not have any advance notice.

At greatest risk are those former Georgia Pacific employees who are under the age of 55 and are not able to collect their pensions until age 62. However, help was made available to these at risk workers on April 6, 2006 when the Department of Labor issued a certification of eligibility for Worker Adjustment Assistance and TAA. 

At this point in time, affected workers who have gone to their local Michigan Works Office to apply for TAA have been told that the allotted funds for the program have been expended and that the funding will not be restored until the next budget cycle in October.

This situation is creating a hardship for these displaced workers in two ways: (1) There is insufficient funding to assist these trade affected workers in obtaining the necessary training so they can become equipped to return to suitable employment as quickly as possible, (2) The budget cycle itself is a factor as people wanting to enroll in training programs through a community college or university need to do so by August. Many are very reluctant to enroll or can not afford to enroll because program funding will not be restored until October.

I appreciate any assistance you may provide to re-program monies so these workers have access to the training and services needed to return them to employment. Please direct your written response to my Alpena, MI District Office, Attention: John Pines, 111 East Chisholm Street, Alpena, Michigan 49707. Mr. Pines can also be reached by telephone at 989/356.0690 or email at john.pines@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,

BART STUPAK
Member of Congress