Tembec, Temiscaming, Que., Canada, this week reported that a new collective agreement covering 680 unionized employees at its operations in Temiscaming has been ratified. Employees who are members of the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union voted on the new agreement over the past week. The new agreement is for five years and establishes a framework that will improve the competitive position of the various operations located at the Temiscaming site. A large integrated site, Temiscaming is Tembec’s largest facility and produces high yield pulp, specialty dissolving pulp, coated paperboard, and specialty chemical products.
"Our Temiscaming facility is one of the key sites for our company and the ratification of this new agreement represents an important milestone. This new, long term agreement represents a key element of our long term plan for Temiscaming and demonstrates the commitment of our employees to improving the competitive position of the operations near term and to achieving critical operational and cost improvements required to support the pursuit of significant upgrades to the site," said James Lopez, president and CEO of Tembec.
The company noted that it is in the process of evaluating a number of options for capital upgrades to the Temiscaming site aimed at maintaining and enhancing its long term competitiveness. Once this evaluation is completed, options will be brought forward to Tembec’s board of directors. Mill capital investment plans normally span a 5 to 10 year period, the company adds.
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