Workers Eligible For Nafta Funds

Workers laid off at Vaagen Bros. Lumber and the now-defunct John Chopot Lumber Co., both of Colville, are eligible for federal benefits under the North American Free Trade Act, public officials said Monday.

The state Job Services Office in Colville said federal officials determined that employees of both sawmill companies lost jobs because of competition from Canadian sawmills. Vaagen Bros. and Chopot said Canadian companies had an advantage because of low prices on timber from Canadian forests.

John Chopot Lumber recently dismissed all 21 of its workers, and is in the process of going out of business. Vaagen Bros. laid off about 100 employees at its Republic, Wash., mill last fall and 60 more this year at its Ione, Wash., mill. The Ione mill closed in June, but some of the workers had been on layoff since January.

The Job Services Office scheduled a meeting next Monday, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Colville High School to explain the benefits available to them under the North American Free Trade Act program as well as those for which they already qualified under the state Timber Retraining Act.

Benefits vary case by case under the complicated and overlapping programs, but Job Services counselor Judy Perucca said workers may receive extended unemployment payments and generous allowances for retraining and relocation.

For more information, call Perucca at 684-7444 or 1-800-451-1549.

, DataTimes