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Skeena Sawmills and United Steelworkers sign four-and-a-half year labour agreement

Skeena Sawmills and United Steelworkers Local 1-1937 have signed a new, four- and-a-half year labour agreement, following five months of negotiation which concluded in a successful ratification vote on May 19, 2020. The new agreement, which is retroactive to January 1, 2020 and extends until June 30, 2024, aligns Skeena’s wages and benefits with other industry agreements and also includes unique provisions recognizing the cultural needs of Indigenous employees.

“This agreement provides the labour certainty Skeena needs as we continue to plan for expansion and upgrading of our sawmill,” said Skeena President Roger Keery. “The negotiation process was respectful and productive, reflecting our strong working relationship with the USW, and we appreciate the negotiating team’s commitment to reaching an agreement that meets the needs of their members and our company.”

“The new collective agreement delivers important benefits to our members, including improvements in wages and benefits and improved contracting out language,” said Rick Nelson VP USW Local-1-1937. “While negotiations and ratification were complicated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to have been able to deliver this strong agreement for our members.”

Skeena Sawmills and Bioenergy is located in Terrace, BC and directly employs 150 people producing sustainable wood products for their global customer base. The USW is Canada’s largest industrial Union. USW Local 1-1937 represents over 6,000 members throughout coastal BC.