SENATORS SNOWE & COLLINS OFFER ASSISTANCE TO DISLOCATED STINSON SEAFOOD WORKERS

Washington, DC – Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins today announced the formation of a new community task force to assist workers who have been laid off from the Stinson Seafood plant in Bath. Bumble Bee Seafood, the parent company of Stinson Seafood, made the announcement yesterday that it stopped production at the sardine processing operation in Bath and sent most workers home. The company indicated that it would fully shutter the plant by May, resulting in the loss of 51 total jobs.

"It's disturbing that people showed up for work and were abruptly told that their jobs were gone," said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. "We will help these dislocated workers and their families in any way possible. Our offices have been in touch with state labor officials and local agencies – we will all work together to help the workers with new job searches, job retraining, and support services."

Rapid Response services will be available to dislocated Stinson workers at the Bath Career Center on Wednesday, March 9th, beginning at 9:00am.

The community task force will be modeled after other efforts the Senators have spearheaded in communities across Maine in order to help displaced workers access available programs for job retraining, education, job search and relocation, and re-employment services, as well as other community-based services. The Senators will also support any effort by the company to obtain federal emergency funds to assist workers through Trade Adjustment Assistance or National Emergency Grants, including the Fisherman's Retraining Program.

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