Dec 14, 2023   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Renfrew Steelworkers reach good contract with tape manufacturer Mativ

United Steelworkers (USW) union members working at tape manufacturer Mativ in Renfrew, Ont., will see wages increase by 13% over the next three years after negotiating a new collective agreement with the company.

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the 147 members of USW Local 6946 ratified a 39-month contract that will provide total compounded wage increases of 13% as well as solid improvements to benefits and other working conditions. The ratification followed two months of negotiations which included assistance from a Ministry of Labour mediator.

“We fought hard to get this agreement and the negotiations were intense,” said USW Local 6946 President Ray Caillier. “This contract will help our members with the rising cost of living and it will help the company to attract and retain a quality workforce.”

The workers manufacture tapes and adhesive products for industrial and commercial applications, including the famous Renfrew brand hockey tape used by professionals and athletes at all levels. The Mativ facility was previously operated as Scapa Tapes North America.

The new agreement provides workers with an immediate 5%, wage hike, followed by increases of 4% next year and another 3.5% in the deal’s the third year. Workers will receive higher shift premiums and safety boot allowances, and will see improvements in vacations, bereavement leave and health benefits including dental care, vision care, hearing aids, physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and registered massage therapy.

“This settlement rewards our members at Mativ for the value they create for their employer, and it reflects today’s labour market. We are indeed bargaining in better times,” said Myles Sullivan, Director of USW District 6, representing members in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.