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Kenora Forest Products adds new planer shift

May 17, 2016 - After resuming rough lumber production in early February, Kenora Forest Products continues to expand finishing operations with the start of the first shift in the new planer mill today. 

“There are now almost 70 Unifor members working at the mill and the workforce will continue to grow to about 110 unionized employees over the summer as the mill transitions to full production with another sawmill and planer shift,” stated Stehpen Boon, Unifor’s national representative. “As part of the 2014 re-start negotiations, Unifor and Kenora Forest Products formally committed to ensuring local aboriginal members shared in the economic benefits and good paying jobs associated with a re-opened sawmill in Kenora. We are very pleased that as a result of this commitment, over 50 per cent of the mill's current workforce is now comprised of local Metis and First Nation members with dozens more employed in related log harvesting operations.
“Kenora Forest Products will be become one of the highest paying sawmills in Eastern Canada with top trades' wages increasing by up to 58.5 per cent to $41.79 per hour by the final year the current six-year contract that expires on December 31, 2020.” 

Source: Unifor

May 17, 2016  By Unifor



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