Members of Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, at Domtar’s mills involved in pattern bargaining for Eastern Canada’s pulp and paper sector have voted in favour of the conciliator’s settlement recommendation presented by the union earlier this week.
The vote formally establishes the terms of a new pattern agreement, which will serve as a benchmark for future negotiations across the pulp and paper industry in Eastern Canada.
The agreement comes at a critical time for Canada’s forestry industry. For several months, the sector has faced the impact of the trade war with the United States, higher tariffs on Canadian forestry products, as well as a series of production slowdowns, mill shutdowns and layoffs that have increased uncertainty for workers, their families and entire communities.
“Forestry workers are the victims of a trade war they did not start,” declared Unifor national president Lana Payne. “The situation is urgent, and the response must be commensurate with the challenges facing the industry. We need to take collective action to protect jobs, keep our mills running and ensure that the workers who have built this industry have a place in its future.”
AGREEMENT FOLLOWS INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS
The vote followed three rounds of negotiations between Unifor and Domtar, the employer targeted in this round of pattern bargaining. After the parties reached an impasse at the negotiating table, they agreed to submit the conciliator’s recommendation to the members for a vote.
The union presented the recommendation to workers at the three mills involved in the negotiations. Failure to reach an agreement would have resulted in an immediate labour dispute.
“We cannot look at these negotiations without considering what is happening in the wider industry,” said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor’s Quebec director. “Bargaining took place in the midst of a trade war, at a time when mills are scaling back or closing and thousands of workers are facing significant uncertainty. Against this backdrop, after careful consideration, our members made a choice to protect their hard-won gains, secure improvements and establish a pattern agreement that allows us to continue moving forward. This model will now serve as the benchmark for bargaining across the rest of the sector.”
FOUR-YEAR DEAL INCLUDES WAGE AND BENEFIT IMPROVEMENTS
The agreement covers four years, from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2030. It provides for annual wage increases of 2.5%, representing a total increase of 10% over the life of the agreement, in addition to an annual attendance bonus of up to 1%.
The deal also includes improvements to vacation and leave provisions, as well as changes related to group insurance, the pension plan and the probationary period.
“These negotiations were difficult from start to finish, but our committee was determined to defend the priorities established by the members. The pattern contract is now in place, but our work is far from over. Our achievements at the bargaining table will serve as our starting point for future negotiations, and we will continue to fight to improve working conditions across the entire sector,” said Martin Dugas, forestry sector coordinator for Unifor Quebec.
With the new pattern agreement established, Unifor will now move on to the next stages of its coordinated bargaining strategy across the forestry industry. The union will first continue negotiations in the sawmill sector before turning its attention to other segments of the forestry industry.
