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Bowater employees strike tentative deal

"We got exactly what we wanted," said Brian Payne, the national president for the Communications, Energy …
"We got exactly what we wanted," said Brian Payne, the national president for the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union. The 2,400 employees at five Bowater Canada mills now have a tentative five-year deal. After working under an expired contract for well over a year, the deposition comes as a welcome relief.

If the agreement is ratified by the union’s members, it will be made retroactive to May 1st, 2004 and will include cost-of-living increases of 11%. The minimum age for regular pension benefits will be increased from 57 to 58. Improved health and dental benefits were also factored into the deal, as was increased vacation time. Although Payne anticipates the deal to be accepted, a final decision won’t be made public until July 8th.