Mill layoffs looming, union encourages retirements

The union head representing workers at Midway Lumber Mills wants to offset upcoming job losses by encouraging more of his senior members to consider retiring.The Thessalon-based mill plans to cut 16 jobs because a land claim dispute between Thessalon First Nation and the provincial government stopped access to about 25 per cent of its wood supply a year ago. Midway employs 60.A layoff letter from mill management stated the positions would be cut April 19, but that date is pushed back to early Ma