New deal secures major wage increases for Ear Falls mill workers

150 workers at the Ear Falls Sawmill finally have a new 4-year contract.

Unifor Local 324 say they’ve reached a new agreement for over 150 maintenance, production and woodyard employees at the sawmill, after their last deal expired in April.

The contract includes a 36 per cent increase in licensed maintenance wages with top rates reaching $49.99 per hour by May 1, 2025, a 24 per cent increase in production wages reaching $39.49 per hour, double time for overtime on Sundays, a 25 per cent increase in pension contributions and much more.

“The total monetary package contains some of the largest monetary improvements in the forest sector in more than 35 years,” explains Unifor National Representative, Stephen Boon.

Membership meetings took place on November 6 in Dryden and November 7 in Ear Falls, with members voting 97 per cent in favour of the new deal.

“As indicated by the overwhelming vote results, our members were very pleased to secure a solid, long-term agreement that positions the Ear Falls operation as one of the top paying sawmills in Eastern Canada,” says Unifor Local President, Katrina Peterson.

The new deal comes as Interfor reports record-high lumber production and shipments, after the mill was restarted in 2014.

Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, with more than 315,000 members across the country, working in every major sector of the Canadian economy.