Resolute Announces Ratification of Unifor Labor Agreement in Canada

Resolute Forest Products Inc., Montreal, Que., Canada, this week announced renewal of the collective agreements at eight of its pulp and paper operations in Canada.

A tentative agreement was reached between Unifor and Resolute on April 16, 2018, to renew the collective agreements for a four-year period. The master agreement was accepted by the majority of union members at each mill during the ratification process.

"We are pleased with the support expressed by our employees. The company and the union have invested a great deal of time and resources over the last several years addressing public policy issues facing our company and industry. The collaborative environment we enjoy today is built on mutual trust and transparency," said Yves Laflamme, president and CEO. "Our employees and their union leaders are committed to help keep our Canadian pulp and paper mills competitive, while providing stability for our customers, shareholders, communities, and other partners."

The collective agreements cover approximately 1,100 hourly employees represented by Unifor at Resolute's Amos, Baie-Comeau, Dolbeau, Gatineau, Kénogami, and Saint-Félicien mills in Quebec, and Thunder Bay mill and indefinitely idled Thorold facility in Ontario. The eight operations account for about 40% of the company's total pulp and paper capacity.

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including market pulp, tissue, wood products, newsprint, and specialty papers, which are marketed in close to 70 countries. The company owns or operates some 40 manufacturing facilities, as well as power generation assets, in the U.S. and Canada. Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. Resolute has received regional, North American, and global recognition for its leadership in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, as well as for its business practices.