Paper mill workers made redundant last week gathered at a special support event in Aberdeen today.
A total of 301 people were made redundant from Stoneywood Paper Mill last week, after owners Arjowiggins failed to find a buyer.
Scottish Enterprise has been working with Arjowiggins since 2019, when it previously faced administration, to try and find a buyer for the company.
At Holyrood today First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described it as “deeply regrettable” a buyer could not be found, as local MSPs called on her to come to Aberdeen to meet those who have lost their jobs.
It came as a special support event was held at Altens Hotel, attended by workers, potential employers and agencies including Citizens Advice Bureau.
Some said they been left “absolutely shocked” and were feeling “very lost”.
Held as part of the government’s initiative Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (Pace), many attended the meeting this morning queueing to attend.
John, who did not want to give his last name, was waiting in line just as the event kicked off at 10am.
He was on holiday last week when he got the call not to go back to the mill – where he had worked for seven years.
He still has not been able to pick up £200 worth of his own equipment from the mill, or his personal items.
“I’ve been laid off in the past,” the 57-year-old said. “There’s no good way to do it but they’ve handled it really badly.
“My heart goes out to a lot of the other guys who have got kids. One guy just got a new house.”
Looking to the future, he said he might try to go back to fabricating and pipe fitting.
Important to offer advice and a ‘listening ear’
Several agencies and employers had stands at the event.
Jennifer Noble, co-chairwoman for Pace in the Grampian area, from Skills Development Scotland, was pleased with the turn-out and said it was important people knew that support was out there.
Speaking early doors she said: “We’re here to offer the first set of support so this is about people being aware of what functions are out there, how we can support them, benefits claims, employment support. We’re here to help them see that there is a lot of support there.
“Redundancy is such an upheaval for people and it can be quite emotional so having people there that can just take five minutes to talk to somebody and be a listening ear is really important.”
An employability jobs fair will also be hosted on October 10.
‘It’s been a week and I still feel a bit lost’
Phil Taylor, who was a shift manager at Stoneywood and worked there for 36 years, admitted he felt a bit lost.
“We knew there were changes coming we knew the changes had to happen for the mill to survive,” he said.
“I started off as a production trainee and then as the general supervisor. I never wanted to leave there was always something happening.
“Stoneywood has been my life. I met my wife at the mill, she was a graduate, and I bought some property of the company and did it up at the top of the road.
“I was actually known to walk to work in my slippers because I forgot to take them off.”
The 60-year-old said they would definitely miss the mill, as there were “lots of laughs”.
Mr Taylor had been thinking about retiring in the not-too-distant future, but now he thinks he will need to find a new job.
“It’s distressing for all the lads who have got to get out and look for jobs,” he said.
“It’s been a week now and I still feel a bit lost.”
‘I want a job to give loyalty to and do good work’
Mike Winton, from Peterculter, who had been with the company for 28 years, said: “It’s been a struggle. The news wasn’t unexpected but it was still hard.
“I’m 58, I’m on the edge. You don’t know what’s ahead. No one’s going to take you on as an apprentice.”
Now he is looking to start again in a new line of work, adding: “I don’t want to be a modern day job hopper. I want a job to give loyalty to and do good work.
“Having said that, there was loyalty and I was a loyal employee and that did not help at the mill.”
Helping us and helping the workers
Some of the employers at the event were quick to reassure those coming through the doors that many of their skills would be transferrable, and that opportunities are out there.
Robert Wilson, staff trainer at First Bus, said they had already had a worker go through his interview that morning and apply for his provisional for becoming a bus driver.
He said: “We’ve had quite a bit of interest they say they will apply they just want to go and talk it over with their family.
“I’ve seen the type of work they’ve been doing and how flexible some of them are.
“Some wanted to do late night shifts. We have to try and be flexible with people and work out what suits them and their families. The idea is that we want to keep drivers.
“So we’re trying to get that balance with everybody. We even take part-time now.
“All these guys here they were workers, they’ve worked for many years they don’t want to go and sit at home they want a job.
“They want to work. They want to get straight back into a working life that they’ve been used to. I think this will help us as well as help them.”
Hoping to find other enjoyable jobs
Caitlin MacEwan and Rachael Tierney attended the event to see what was on offer.
Miss Tierney who worked in the technical department, said she had worked at the mill since 2018 and its future has always been uncertain during that time.
“I had been there for four years and since then it had been oh we’re shutting,” the 30-year-old said.
“We never ever were shutting so we kind of got used to it. When we got called to the other meeting I was like ‘well it will be administration, it will just be like it was last time’ but it wasn’t. It was effective immediately.
“Some people have been here for 40 years and they didn’t have anything else where as we have degrees and things like that so there are openings for us.
“But then it’s difficult in the sense that you don’t just want to go into any job.”
Ms MacEwan added: “I think for me, I feel very lucky that my job is actually quite transferable where as I know some people are very specialised in paper machines and paper.”
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