Displaced New Harbour plant workers to get help
Fish plant workers affected by this season’s closure of the Daley Brothers Woodman Sea Products plant in New Harbour can avail of employment and training services being offered by Advanced Education, Skills and Labour employment centres throughout the province, it was announced Monday.
The department states it has been working with the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources to develop an approach to assist displaced workers.
The need to help workers was realized just over a week ago after workers began receiving notices from the company informing them that the plant would not operate for the 2018 season.
The move took the community, and the provincial government, by surprise. In past years the plant had operated for a number of months each year.
The company in its notices, however, did offer workers options
to work elsewhere on the island or in New Brunswick.
Daley Brothers purchased the plant in 2012 from Woodland Sea Products Ltd., which had operated the plant since 1973.
The provincial government stated Monday that, in addition to services provided at the centres, the Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, in collaboration with Service Canada, will host two information sessions in Carbonear at the Carbonear Employment Centre on May 7. The first will run from 10 a.m. to noon, with the second taking place from 2-4 p.m.
The department notes that services can be tailored to assist individuals, including career counselling, job search assistance, employment and training supports, and access to localized labour market information.
Affected workers can also obtain information by phone at 1-800-563-6600 or by email at Aesl@gov.nl.ca.