Queens County Scenes from 2007 - PART 1

First, Bowater announced 49 positions would be lost at the Brooklyn plant, probably within a month. Employees took a pay cut to allow their 55 and over counterparts to retire early instead of others losing their jobs. Spares will be adversely affected, however. Bowater Inc. and Abitibi-Consolidated also merged into AbitibiBowater Inc. and immediately started a 30-day review that ended in numerous plant closure announcements Nov. 29. The local plant was spared but the review process is ongoing and the company is asking for employee concessions to deal with a weak market and high Canadian dollar, to name just two economic examples. The merger announcement was made early in the year while the current worries are ongoing. Other forestry industry sectors are being hurt as well. Harry Freeman and Son Ltd. in Greenfield laid off 19 employees but received a $2-million loan in December to help ease the transition to what is a new economy for the industry.