Fisheries union rallies in St. John's on the doorsteps of industry partners
CBC
Snow crab harvesters were on the move Friday, bringing their protest over the still-tied-up fishery to the doorsteps of major industry partners in St. John's,
Fish, Food & Allied Workers (FFAW) members axed a tentative deal tabled a week ago by the Association of Seafood Processors (ASP) that would have jump started the stagnant fishery and saw thousands of harvesters back on the water, along with the thousands of processing workers heading back to the plants.
On Friday the FFAW and its members marched on the ASP offices in the east end of St. John's before moving to the offices of Ocean Choice International (OCI) — a locally owned seafood merchant with its own offshore vessels and processing plants.
"This is the most pressure we've had on this industry in my history with the union. This is extreme pressure," FFAW president Greg Pretty told reporters.
"It's also on the companies. I understand they have markets, but we have to fish and we have to make money."
The situation has been heating up this week with both sides meeting on Wednesday to bargain over a "final offer." A deal wasn't struck and both the FFAW and ASP point blame at one another.
Further, reports of crab harvesters being physically blocked from hitting the water have been cropping up from communities around the island.
Pretty claims the ASP and other seafood companies are trying to fracture the union. Two members of the FFAW's inshore council resigned late Thursday night.
"If there's a great threat to the union, it's not from two guys who left our council. It's from these companies, these fish merchants, who have a ... tradition of doing this," he said.
"The issue here is we need to get this fishery up and going. We need it. We need the involvement from the province on this."
Blaine and Martin Sullivan met the protestors on the doorstep of OCI headquarters Friday afternoon.
Blaine Sullivan is the president of the multinational seafood company. His brother, Martin, is CEO.
"I believe there's a deal there if the market goes up. There's no question about that," Blaine Sullivan told the group of frustrated harvesters.
"I don't like the price, either. It's low and it's an unfortunate situation. But if some people want to go, why are you so hell bent on stopping people who want to go?"