Action Centre continues to help those left jobless by plant closures

It's not always easy to see the bright side when a community has been devastated by countless job losses.

But, every cloud has a silver lining, including this one.

In 2009, an Action Centre was established to help workers who had been laid-off at windshield maker Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) and Ivaco Rolling Mills.

Some 190 workers were let go at the PGW fabrication facility in Hawkesbury after the dwindling coffers of the automotive sector took their toll on the industry. Hundreds of workers at Ivaco were left out of work when the plant closed its doors.

As if that weren't enough, another blow to the struggling community was struck when Engineered Coated Products (ECP), formerly known as Fib-Pak, announced that it would be laying off some 50 employees and closing the doors to its factory on February 5, 2010.

The company closed a factory at 1201 Spence Street in early 2009 and was then forced to close the larger factory.

According to Ann Gauthier-Jones, program supervisor at the Employment Services Centre of Prescott-Russell Inc., where the Action Centre is located, it's not all bad news.

"The Action Centre has played a big role in getting some of these employees back to work," she explained. "We've spent a lot of time meeting workers and they are finding work."

To date, staff at the Action Centre have met with nearly 133 workers from the defunct factories and nearly 80 have re-entered the workforce.

"The Action Centre is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, College and Universities," Gauthier-Jones remarked. "We (Employment Services Centre of Prescott-Russell Inc.) are then mandated to open an Action Centre to specifically help workers who have been laid off and find themselves out of work."

Gauthier-Jones said the Action Centre offers a number of important services to out-of-work employees, including workshops on resume writing and job interviews, tips on applying for jobs and information on how to keep up-to-date on job postings.

"We also offer counselling on budgeting, stress management - anything we can do to help workers get through a very difficult situation," she said.

The good news, Gauthier-Jones highlighted, is that there is work out there. It may not be the $25 an hour jobs some workers were used to, but, she said, it's a start.

"It's not easy for people to take jobs where they aren't making as much money," she stated. "That's why we offer counselling on budgeting and stress management. For a lot of these people, losing their jobs is like losing a family member. They do go through a very real grieving process. But once they get over that, they are eager to get back to work and start living again. Our role is to offer as much support as we can."

Another "great thing" about the Action Centre, Gauthier-Jones noted, is that it's a place where workers can come in and talk to one another.

"It's easy to feel alone and isolated when you lose a job," she explained. "This centre gives people a place to talk to each other, so they don't feel alone. They know there are other people going through the exact same thing they are and it brings a sense of comfort."

While the Action Centre is geared mainly toward workers who were laid off from the above-mentioned factories, Gauthier-Jones stressed that the Employment Services Centre of Prescott-Russell Inc. is open to anyone seeking employment.

"We offer a number of services to people who are looking for work," she said. "We've been here for more than 20 years and that's what we do - we help and support people who are trying to get back into the workforce."

Montebello Packaging

In November, Montebello Packaging, which is also located in Hawkesbury, announced that it would be laying off around 75 workers for an indefinite period of time.
The company makes a wide range of products, such as aluminum tubes for cosmetic products, and markers, as well as components used in the manufacture of nail guns.

Gauthier-Jones said the offer to use the Action Centre has been extended to workers, but, it remains unclear as to whether or not they will be returning to work.

"When the lay-offs happened, we contacted the company and the union (United Steelworkers Union) to let them know the workers could access the Action Centre," she commented. "The problem is that we don't know if any of the workers are going back to work or what is happening. No one has announced anything, so I guess for now, we just wait and see what happens."