GROVETON, N.H. (AP) – Mill workers about to lose their jobs say the severance package being offered by their company is pathetic.

Representatives of the United Steelworkers union on Thursday that said workers at the Wausau mill are being offered up to 12 weeks of severance and medical coverage for those with at least 20 years of service, down to four weeks for those with less than 10 years at the mill. They said the union hopes to negotiate a better package.

Murray Rogers, president of union Local 61, said employees have made many sacrifices trying to keep the company open.

“One of the reasons that we are doing this press conference today,” Rogers said, “is to appeal to Wausau Paper or anyone else who can help, to keep this mill open, making the 550 different grades of paper that this facility and this work force are more than capable of making.

“The other reason is to ask Wausau Paper to show some sort of decency and to recognize every year of service that the employees’ salary and union and have dedicated to this facility,” he said.