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Saint-Félicien – Following ratification meetings held over the last two weeks, Unifor members supported a tentative agreement reached with the eastern pattern bargaining target company Resolute Forest Products (RFP), with 70 per cent support. This new contract will serve as a model contract for the sawmill industry in Quebec.
“The negotiations focussed on one of the major issues facing the sawmill sector, namely, labour renewal. The new agreement will help to attract and retain workers in our facilities,” stated Renau Gagné, Unifor Quebec Director.
The highlights include:
- A four-year contract with wage increases of two per cent in the first two years and two-and-a-half per cent in the last two years;
- A wage adjustment of $0.40/hour for production employees;
- A wage adjustment of $0.75/hour and $0.50/hour in 2021 for trade employees;
- An improved group insurance plan;
- Quicker attainment of full pay (1000 hours or less; 90 per cent of wages and 1001 hours or more, 100 per cent);
- Retirement plan
- A one percent increase in the employer contribution for the target benefit plan (Mistassini) on May 1, 2021;
- For hybrid retirement plans, starting May 1, 2021, the normal annuity will be increased to 0.75 percent of the final salary;
- Starting May 1, 2021, the monthly additional supplement will increase from $16.00 to $17.00.
- A contribution of $0.02/hour to the Canadian Community Fund; and
- An improved bereavement fund.
“It needs to be stressed that this negotiation was possible thanks to the solidarity of our local unions that pooled their common interests for better results,” said Mr. Gagné.
Overall, this collective agreement will affect some 1000 unionized workers in the six RFP sawmills that participated in the negotiations: Girardville (Local 497), La Doré (Local 498), Mistassini (Local 1495), Saint-Thomas (Local 1496), Maniwaki (Local 182) and Comtois (Local 3057). It will subsequently be negotiated with the other employers in the sawmill sector in Quebec.
