MONTREAL – Pattern bargaining for Eastern Canada’s pulp and paper sector has concluded with a 4-year tentative agreement between Unifor and Resolute Forestry Products.
“Pulp and paper jobs sustain communities large and small across Ontario, Québec, and the Atlantic,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This tentative agreement will ensure that Unifor members receive fair compensation. It also creates local investment during a time when the industry is under attack from the U.S.”
The priorities of this negotiation were related to wages, vacations, benefits, pension plan and job security, within the context of retaining and renewing the workforce. Ratification votes will be held in the different plants over the coming weeks. In the meantime, the details of the agreement will not be discussed publicly until the members have been able to decide.
The tentative agreement, once approved by members, will set the monetary pattern for all pulp and paper mills across the Ontario, Québec and Atlantic regions. In all, some 15,000 members will be affected by the eastern pattern agreement.
“This contract will contribute to the ongoing renewal of the forestry workforce, which is a major challenge for all mills,” said Renaud Gagné, Unifor Québec Director. “Good working conditions and a fair remuneration will help make our pulp and paper mills an attractive employer for the next generation of workers.”
