As low wages in the forestry sector remain a nagging issue, GCFITU has identified this new and developing sector as an absolute priority for organising. So far, their organising campaign has been successful.

GCFITU has already organised 900 workers in 54 sawmills, resulting in a net membership increase of approximately 15%. In addition to wages, collective bargaining remains central to their organising strategy. Last year, the union successfully negotiated a 10% wage increase for the sector through various regional collective bargaining agreements. Furthermore, if inflation exceeds 10%, employers will be required to pay the difference on top of the negotiated increase. Seniority payments and the 13th-month salary have also been included in the agreements.

Following the adoption of the new Forest Code in Georgia a few years ago, the National Forestry Agency began implementing a series of reforms. As part of this process, it was announced that so-called “business yards” (sawmills) would be established in all nine regions of Georgia for the production, sorting, and stacking of timber. Nearly 100 workplaces are expected to be operational by the beginning of next year, creating 2,000 new jobs.

In light of this, the campaign will continue until all sawmills are fully operational by 2026. The union aims to reach its goal of 2,000 new members in the wood processing sector by next year.

The progress of this project was discussed during the BWI–GS Facket monitoring visit on 8–9 April 2025 to the region of Javakheti and to the new sawmills in Akhaltsikhe, where the mission met with workers who had recently joined the union.