Comments on: West Fraser McDavid Lumbermill Cutting 75 Jobs http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:50:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Wife of one of the employees - http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3428 Wife of one of the employees - Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:58:09 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3428 As the wife of one of the employees who worked there for almost five years - I am not shocked about the mill closing it's doors. What I am shocked about is how my husband and all the other employees were given this notice. West Fraser tried to come across as a family oriented company - well, giving a man 2 weeks notice that he's going to loose his job (but he has to work those last two weeks) with no severence pay whatsoever - My family sure will have a wonderful holiday season, Huh? Thanks West Fraser for being that great family oriented company you claimed to be. If and when the mill opens back up I will strongly encourage my husband not to go back. Why work for a company who is going to screw the good people who have been there for so long by wanting to bring them back for lower wages than what they wrere making? Hopefully, he can get another job and when the call backs come he can tell them stick it! Loyalty work both ways West Fraser - As the wife of one of the employees who worked there for almost five years – I am not shocked about the mill closing it’s doors. What I am shocked about is how my husband and all the other employees were given this notice. West Fraser tried to come across as a family oriented company – well, giving a man 2 weeks notice that he’s going to loose his job (but he has to work those last two weeks) with no severence pay whatsoever – My family sure will have a wonderful holiday season, Huh? Thanks West Fraser for being that great family oriented company you claimed to be.

If and when the mill opens back up I will strongly encourage my husband not to go back. Why work for a company who is going to screw the good people who have been there for so long by wanting to bring them back for lower wages than what they wrere making? Hopefully, he can get another job and when the call backs come he can tell them stick it!

Loyalty work both ways West Fraser -

]]> By: employee http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3418 employee Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:38:10 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3418 <p>I started as an hourly employee and worked up to a supervisor. I saw may things in my time from crazy schedules too crooked leadership. I thought things were bad when IP owned the mill but after west fraser bought the mill out, I knew the company and mill would never be the same. The leadership at the mill is inexperienced and doesn't care for the employees. I wish all the employees good luck. I wish things would have been different. I hate to see such a succesful plant fall to the bottom due to poor leadership and just to place someone in a job because he is buddies with higher management. Again I hope all the good poeple find something better. It was fun while it lasted. Good luck. If I can ever help you know how to call.</p> I started as an hourly employee and worked up to a supervisor. I saw may things in my time from crazy schedules too crooked leadership. I thought things were bad when IP owned the mill but after west fraser bought the mill out, I knew the company and mill would never be the same. The leadership at the mill is inexperienced and doesn’t care for the employees. I wish all the employees good luck. I wish things would have been different. I hate to see such a succesful plant fall to the bottom due to poor leadership and just to place someone in a job because he is buddies with higher management. Again I hope all the good poeple find something better. It was fun while it lasted. Good luck. If I can ever help you know how to call.

]]> By: Straight talk http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3314 Straight talk Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:13:11 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3314 West Fraser is a union mill. The union would have never agreed to pay cuts. West Fraser is a union mill. The union would have never agreed to pay cuts.

]]> By: Curious http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3313 Curious Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:55:14 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3313 I wonder if anyone at West Fraser ever thought of offering across the board pay cuts instead of locking the gate with no advance notice? I hope these workers are able to find jobs with employer's that have at least the common courtesy to let them know that they are being laid off and not cowardly locking the gates awaiting a later 'press conference". Those are the facts as I have read them. I wonder if anyone at West Fraser ever thought of offering across the board pay cuts instead of locking the gate with no advance notice? I hope these workers are able to find jobs with employer’s that have at least the common courtesy to let them know that they are being laid off and not cowardly locking the gates awaiting a later ‘press conference”. Those are the facts as I have read them.

]]> By: MJ http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3305 MJ Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:16:02 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3305 I work there. The truth is that all salary and about 10 hourly people are staying. We are restructuring the pay scale when we decide to rehire, the current pay scale is way too high for a sawmill in this area. Hourlies won' t make near what their making now. All benefits will be reduced too. We've cut every cost but employee wages. And laying off and rehiring is the way to do it. I hate it for the hourlies but thats the way it's going to be. I work there. The truth is that all salary and about 10 hourly people are staying. We are restructuring the pay scale when we decide to rehire, the current pay scale is way too high for a sawmill in this area. Hourlies won’ t make near what their making now. All benefits will be reduced too. We’ve cut every cost but employee wages. And laying off and rehiring is the way to do it. I hate it for the hourlies but thats the way it’s going to be.

]]> By: Tom http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3280 Tom Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:10:55 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3280 More folks want a job. Keep bugging them about openings and how interested you are. More folks want a job. Keep bugging them about openings and how interested you are.

]]> By: Best thing http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3241 Best thing Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:58:50 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3241 Best news I've heard lately. Feel bad for the employees, but, the McDavid West Fraser mill was a joke. Best news I’ve heard lately. Feel bad for the employees, but, the McDavid West Fraser mill was a joke.

]]> By: DES http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3234 DES Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:54:56 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3234 <p>I have went and it has been 4 months and no one has called me back.</p> I have went and it has been 4 months and no one has called me back.

]]> By: Tom http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3220 Tom Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:20:23 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3220 Want a job that has good benefits go up to Century Correctional Inst. to the training building through the trailor and housing area. One of North Escambia's best kept secrets IMO. Want a job that has good benefits go up to Century Correctional Inst. to the training building through the trailor and housing area. One of North Escambia’s best kept secrets IMO.

]]> By: Willie http://www.northescambia.com/2008/11/mcdavid-lumbermill-shut-down/comment-page-1#comment-3205 Willie Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:59:36 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=4956#comment-3205 McDavid (the town) was shut down long before this mill was there. There have been several mills in the community since the latter 1800's . This is the first to be owned by a foreign country.It was purchased from International paper last year.The mill was built by Champion Paper co. which was bought put by I.P. West Fraser ,a canadian company , paid about 360 million dollars ($U.S.) for about 11 of I.P's wood product mills in the U.S. The 360 milliom dollars came from a rebate from the U.S. government for overpayment of tariffs for Canadian lumber sold in this country. In essence ,West Fraser got the plants for free! Sorry for the workers ,not the company McDavid (the town) was shut down long before this mill was there. There have been several mills in the community since the latter 1800’s . This is the first to be owned by a foreign country.It was purchased from International paper last year.The mill was built by Champion Paper co. which was bought put by I.P.
West Fraser ,a canadian company , paid about 360 million dollars ($U.S.) for about 11 of I.P’s wood product mills in the U.S. The 360 milliom dollars came from a rebate from the U.S. government for overpayment of tariffs for Canadian lumber sold in this country. In essence ,West Fraser got the plants for free!
Sorry for the workers ,not the company

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