Dan

Dan, 53, was a finishing technician at the Stora Enzo paper mill in Duluth for 15 years and was laid off 12 months ago when the manager decided to reorganize the plant. More than 20 percent of the workforce was let go at this time. The last time Dan was laid off, he went back to school for a business degree in industrial relations. He is now looking for a job in human resources.

My Story
It’s been 12 months since I was permanently laid off from the paper mill, and I have had no success finding a new job. I don’t have recent work experience in any other field, so that makes getting even low-paying, no-benefit jobs difficult.

The last time I was laid off for “foreign economic trade conditions” by the plant, I went back to school to get a business degree in industrial relations. I’m hoping to find a job in human resources to put this schooling to use.

My unemployment has run out, and it’s put a tremendous stress on myself, my wife and my family. I think the most difficult thing is not knowing what lies ahead. Being out of work for this long has completely thrown out retirement plans for myself and my wife. Not to mention the tension that it’s placed on our marriage.

Ironically, the paper mill hired my daughter for the summer the month after I was let go. With the money she made at the plant, she’s paying for this year’s college tuition. My other daughter, also in college, wants to be a social worker. But I’m afraid that with all of the cutbacks in social services that profession is not insulated from the jobs crisis.

This whole experience has truly made me look at big business in general and Bush’s Republican administration and see that they’re just not doing the right thing for people. By cutting jobs to “help the bottom line” and government reductions in social programs pinpoints the lack of social responsibility and commitment to jobs. President Bush, in particular, is doing nothing to help.