Delegation seeks compensation for plant workers affected by ice conditions

With emergency funding sorted out for fish harvesters suffering from sea ice conditions, a delegation from this province is now lobbying Ottawa to include plant workers in the compensation package.

A delegation including Steve Crocker, the province’s minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, and members of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union (Ffaw-unifor) are in Ottawa meeting with Jean-yves Duclos, the federal minister of Families, Children and Social Development, to discuss allowing plant workers to access some of the $5 million put forward for harvesters.

In a statement released Monday, FFAW president Keith Sullivan says plant workers and harvesters have been equally affected by the sea ice conditions.

“These families have been without income for over two months by no fault of their own, experiencing some of the worst ice conditions we’ve seen in recent memory,” Sullivan stated.

The group also plans to meet with the Newfoundland and Labrador federal caucus.