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Domtar’s Dryden pulp mill and Unifor reach new collective agreement

November 20, 2018 – Dryden, Ontario’s Domtar pulp mill and woodlands operations have reached a new four-year collective agreement with their union.

More than 500 Unifor members voted in favour.

“I’m pleased to say that both of these contracts achieve the Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper Pattern established by our union in April,” says Unifor national president Jerry Dias.

On November 19, 230 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 275 wood harvesting, trucking and chipping employees from Unifor Local 324 voted in favour by a 94 per cent margin.

“These contracts contain some of the largest monetary increases in the sector in almost two decades,” says George Smith, Unifor Local 324 president. “As indicated by the strong ratification results, our members were extremely pleased with the solid gains secured in these new collective agreements.”

Top pay at Woodlands will increase to $40.60/hour with top pulp mill pay reaching almost $46/hour by the final year of the two deals.

“These agreements provide long-term stability for Domtar, but most importantly, they achieve key language improvements and significant monetary gains for over 500 Unifor members in Dryden and Ear Falls,” says Stephen Boon, Unifor national representative.

The contracts are valid from September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2022 and include two per cent annual wage increase in the first two years and 2.5 per cent increases in the second two years, plus an extra $0.40 per hour additional wage increase for operations and production employees, extra $1.25 per hour in additional pay for skilled trades over term and up to $2.70 per hour in additional pay adjustments for some pulp mill operators. There will also be increased commuting pay for woodlands employees, with an additional $1,000 per year for drivers.

The agreements also include increases in benefits, pensions and leave.

Unifor’s Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper Pattern group includes 15,000 forestry members across Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.