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Unifor members at Kruger Wayagamack ratify new agreement, end 3-week strike

Unifor announced that the 200 members of Unifor Locals 222Q and 216 at Kruger Wayagamack, a paper mill in Trois-Rivières, Que. ratified a new agreement by 92.3 percent (222Q) and 93.4 percent (216) on June 19, ending a three-week strike.

“The members of the negotiating committees are very happy with the result,” said Joël Vigeant, national representative and forestry coordinator for Unifor Québec. “It’s not easy to decide to go out on strike, but battles are worth fighting. We had clear expectations, and those expectations were met.”

Workers at Kruger Wayagamack began their strike on June 1.

The new four-year contract falls in line with the Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper standard contract. In addition to the regular salary increases and adjustments provided for in the Standard Agreement, there is a significant addition of nearly 5.5 percent each year of the life of the contract, whether in terms of fringe benefits or compensation for hours worked, particularly with regard to the Sunday rate. These adjustments represent an overall financial advantage of almost 12 percent in the first year of the collective agreement, says Unifor in its press statement.