Resolute Forest workers get four years of pay increases

A union representing workers at Canada’s biggest forest products company has ratified a new four-year collective agreement covering approximately 2,000 employees at 11 of the company's mills in Ontario and Quebec.

A spokesperson for Unifor told CBC News the agreement includes wage increases of 2% each year.

In a press release, the union also said the deal — approved by 86 per cent of workers — did not include economic concessions.

“We did not agree to any economic concessions, and the issues of outside contracting and economic improvements were all key parts of this agreement,” Mike Lambert, Unifor director of forestry said.

This four-year contract is the results of more than two years of bargaining that concluded on May 9.

"We are delighted with the strong support expressed by our employees for the agreement entered into between Resolute and Unifor," said President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Garneau in a release.

Resolute owns or operates over 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada.  The collective agreement affects workers at three locations in northern Ontario including Thunder Bay, Fort Frances and Iroquois Falls.

“It is now time to concentrate on a national forestry sector policy to ensure continued prosperity for this important industry,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias said. 

Dias said the key to developing such a strategy is a commitment from the federal government to establish a national forestry sector council with participation from all stakeholders.