AG Wins Round In Fight For Great Northern Paper Workers' Severance Pay

July 27, 2006

Attorney General Steve Rowe today announced that the Superior Court in Kennebec County has ruled that the Maine Department of Labor can proceed with efforts to collect severance pay for over 1,000 former Great Northern Paper (GNP) workers. The Attorney General and Inexcon Maine, Inc., as parent company of GNP, have been locked in litigation for two years over the meaning of terms in Maine's severance pay law including "covered establishment," "employer," "physical calamity," and "adjudicated bankruptcy." In a thirteen page decision dated yesterday, Justice Marden resolved all issues in favor of the State.

Attorney General Rowe said, "I'm thrilled to finally be able to report to the workers that this case is on track. We are moving in the right direction." Rowe cautioned, however, that the victory is merely legal at this point, and that no money has yet been recovered for workers. "We needed this ruling to get to the next round, but we expect more fighting before checks get written. All I can promise is that we will keep fighting to get what the workers deserve."

CHARLES DOW, DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, 207-626-8577