N.L. paper mill ratifies final of 7 agreements

New deal ends 5-year wage freeze, workers keep defined benefit pension plan

The seventh and final agreement was signed today at a heavyweight paper mill in Newfoundland and Labrador, putting an end to 18 months of negotiations.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, owned by Kruger Inc. and headquartered in Deer Lake, N.L., ratified its last agreement with Unifor Local 495 on Oct. 7.

As part of this latest deal, workers at the mill will get wage increases – a significant victory, as they had previously gone for almost five years of frozen wages, according to Gary Healey, Unifor’s national representative.

“While this was a difficult round of negotiations, we are proud of the fact that we were able to protect the defined benefit pension plan, while making wage gains after a period of nearly five years of frozen wages," Healey said. "I'm happy that we were able to come to an agreement without any dispute as is the case in a large majority of our negotiations."

The new agreement runs until June 30, 2015, and covers 22 members at the 85-year-old facility.

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