DRYDEN – NEWS – Unifor has applied for conciliation after contract talks broke down this week with Domtar in negotiations covering more than 450 pulp mill and woodlands employees in Dryden, Ontario. The conciliation applications cover Unifor’s 225 members in Local 105, which includes production, maintenance, and office members as well as another 225 woodlands harvesting, chipping, and trucking members in Local 324.
“We have been bargaining for new pulp mill and woodlands deals with Domtar over the last two months, but unfortunately these negotiations have now reached an impasse over some unanticipated hurdles at the local level,” said Unifor National Representative Stephen Boon. Boon added, “We will make a final attempt to bridge the remaining gaps and also implement Unifor’s Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper Pattern with Domtar through the conciliation process. If conciliated talks fail and the Unifor Pulp and Paper Pattern is not in place, we will be moving ahead with membership strike votes in preparation for potential strike action in early 2023.”
The last collective agreements for Unifor Locals 105 and 324 expired on August 31, 2022.