Wages rise in each of four years of contract: Unifor
More than 500 Unifor members at Domtar Pulp Mill and Woodlands operations in Dryden, Ont., voted in favour of new four-year collective agreements on Nov. 20.
“These contracts contain some of the largest monetary increases in the sector in almost two decades,” said George Smith, president Unifor, Local 324. “As indicated by the strong ratification results, our members were extremely pleased with the solid gains secured in these new collective agreements.”
Maintenance, production and office employees from Unifor, Local 105 at the Dryden Pulp Mill voted 87 per cent in favour of their new deal while wood harvesting, trucking and chipping employees from Unifor, Local 324 voted in favour by a 94 per cent margin, said the union.
Top pay at Woodlands will increase to $40.60 per hour with top pulp-mill pay reaching almost $46 per hour by the final year of the two deals, said Unifor.
Key Terms of new Domtar Mill and Woodlands contracts include two per cent, two per cent, 2.5 per cent, 2.5 per cent annual wage increases, $0.40 per hour additional wage increase for operations and production employees, $1.25 per hour in additional pay for skilled trades over term and up to $2.70 per hour in additional wage adjustments for some pulp-mill operators, said the union.
As well, the new deal includes increases in vacation entitlement, dental, life insurance, disability, vision and bereavement leave, improved seniority, overtime and health and safety language in woodlands operations and a new $0.02 per hour employer contribution to Unifor Canadian Community Fund.
Unifor’s Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper Pattern group includes 15,000 forestry members across Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.
