Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) today announced a four-year renewal of the master collective agreement covering unionized employees of three U.S. pulp, paper and tissue mills. Unionized employees voted overwhelmingly to ratify the agreement at facilities in Calhoun (Tennessee), Augusta (Georgia) and Coosa Pines (Alabama).
"We are pleased to have reached agreement prior to contract expiration, indicative of our collaborative working relationship. As we look ahead, we have enhanced operational stability as, together, we focus on improving efficiency and the overall competitive position of these mills," said Yves Laflamme, president and chief executive officer. "Our continued union/management partnership serves the best interests of our employees, customers, shareholders and a range of other stakeholders."
The agreement takes effect for the Calhoun pulp, paper and tissue mill in May 2019 and runs through April 2023, in addition to spanning the four-year period between May 2020 and April 2024 for the Augusta newsprint mill and Coosa Pines fluff pulp operation. Approximately 775 unionized employees are covered by the agreement and are represented by the United Steelworkers (USW), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the U.S. and Canada (UA). The agreement improves wages in each of its four years.
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