Kamloops mill commits to apprenticeship training in new agreement

Deal secures retirement packages, retains employees on recall list

A recent agreement between Unifor Local 10B and Domtar is setting the stage for expanded commitment to apprenticeship training. The union said the deal will keep good jobs in the British Columbia-based Kamloops mill for years to come.

“Unifor believes in partnerships that can have long-lasting positive effects not just for the worksite, but for the communities we live in,” said Unifor’s national president Jerry Dias. “I want to praise the committee for their perseverance and their progressive action.”

In addition to creating the framework for apprenticeship training at the mill, the new agreement resolves outstanding issues related to the close of the pulp-mill’s A-Line in 2013, secures retirement packages for a number of senior workers and retains all laid off employees on a recall list.

The agreement will also establish scholarships and bursaries — administered by Unifor and Domtar — in pursuit of supporting local trades training schools in Kamloops.

“This is a deal where we can put the past behind us and concentrate on the future of the mill and our union,” said Bob Stephens, first vice of Unifor Local 10B.

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