EAR FALLS, ON — Unifor says it has negotiated retirement packages and substantial moving allowances for about two dozen Domtar woodlands employees affected by production changes.
According to Unifor Local 324 President George Smith, their Ear Falls-area woodlands jobs have become redundant because of increased lumber production and saw-log harvesting in the Trout Forest for EACOM Timber Corporation's local sawmill.
That move created dozens of new jobs for Unifor members at EACOM, but "As a result of the EACOM expansion, Domtar will no longer require its lone chipper operation based in Ear Falls after March 31," Smith said in a statement.
A union statement said that, in order to minimize the impact of a transition away from bush chipping toward saw-log harvesting, Unifor and Domtar agreed to $100,000 payments for early retirement "for senior protected employees" in all of Domtar's forestry operations.
"These packages will provide our long-service employees with a dignified retirement option while also helping to reduce potential layoffs of newer employees," the statement said.
In addition, the union said, Domtar has agreed to provide up to $50,000 in moving allowances to any affected Ear Falls workers wishing to re-locate to Domtar's Dryden operations.
