Gatineau mill workers fear for pensions

Employees and former employees at the AbitibiBowater paper mill in Gatineau, Que., are wondering if they'll ever be able to get their pensions.

The pulp and paper plant was closed indefinitely in May, throwing 350 people out of work.At its height the plant employed more than 2,000 workers.

Last year, the plant "produced 360,000 tonnes of paper annually, including 310,000 tonnes of newsprint," according to forestTalk.com.

Mark Boisseau has been at the plant for 37 years. He's been luckier than some of the other workers he's been kept on to keep the equipment operational.

But Boisseau says the uncertainty about the future is getting to him.

"It's maddening. It's depressing. And there's not a thing you can do about it. Your life is on hold," he said.

The pulp and paper industry has been in decline for several years.Some blame the problems on the strength of the Canadian dollar, others on the federal government's refusal to help the forestry sector.

Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, says Ottawa should provide loan guarantees.

"It would cost the government nothing to do this yet it has steadfastly refused to help the forest industry weather the recession as it did for the automobile industry," he told forestTalk.com.

As for Boisseau, in a couple weeks, he says, he'll loose his health, disability and life insurance, like everyone else.

Boisseau was also just three months shy of collecting his pension.

"Am I going to get my retirement for 37 years, or not? Nobody seems to know," he said.

AbitibiBowater is currently under bankruptcy protection, but there are plans to bring the company out of protection in September with a new restructuring plan.

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union has said that if that happens, there's a chance the employees' pension plans will be saved.