UNION DEMANDS No end in sight as crab season delay continues
Fish harvesters’ union says it reviewed and unanimously rejected new offer from Association of Seafood Producers
It should be Day 3 of the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab season, but harvesters remained ashore, demanding a better share of the market on Monday, April 8.
Efforts to avoid another delay over disputed prices, after the same issue led to a six-week tie-up at the start of the 2023 season, have not been successful.
Unionized harvesters who are members of Ffawunifor have not accepted a decision by the province’s Standing Fish Price-setting Panel that has set the minimum price to be paid for crab at $2.60 per pound, as set out in a pricing formula proposed by the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) and accepted by the panel.
FAIR SHARING ARRANGEMENT
The union had proposed its own formula based on the Blackwood report. That report was produced by a commission, chaired by Glen Blackwood, appointed by the provincial government in an attempt to prevent another delayed season.
The Blackwood report recommended its formula in the fall of 2023.
The ASP, which represents the province’s fish processors, and the union had tried to negotiate a final formula throughout the winter, but could not come to an agreement, which led to the decision being left to the panel.
While some harvesters have expressed their disapproval of the Blackwood formula, mainly because it contains a holdback provision, the union says the Blackwood formula demonstrates a fair sharing arrangement for harvesters.
The union’s proposal also contained a holdback provision, which would see harvesters potentially paid a settlement sum at the end of the season after a review of the season and market fluctuations.
NEW ASP OFFER REJECTED
In a news release issued Monday morning, Ffaw-unifor said its bargaining committee had met on Sunday, April 7, to review an offer from the ASP, but the offer was unanimously rejected.
Harvesters had been indicating they would gather in St. John’s for a demonstration on Monday, but postponed any such action for the time being. In a social media post on Monday afternoon, John Efford Jr. — a harvester who led demonstrations in St. John’s in March — said there would not be a protest on Tuesday, April 9, but there would be a press conference held by the union’s bargaining committee.
The union, in its press release, said it is prepared to engage in further discussions to find a resolution.
“The province has stood by the Blackwood formula since it was published and the FFAW is demanding that they stand by it now to fix this injustice,” stated the union’s release.
“The ASP’S formula was not designed to bring stability to the industry, it was designed to put money in their pockets. Our negotiating committee is resolute: we will not fish for anything less than our fair share.”
Ffaw-unifor listed its demands in its press release.
In addition to wanting a formula that is based on historical fishing arrangements and an increasing share as the market increases, the harvesters also insist on a formula that gives them the ability to recoup value as the market changes.
“The majority of crab harvesters land their crab when the market is at its lowest point,” the union stated.
“If the market increases after landing, there must be a mechanism to guarantee that harvesters also benefit from the market upturn.”