Fisheries union rallies in St. John's on the doorsteps of industry partners
Harvesters still tied up, won't fish until better deal is made
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 members axed a tentative deal tabled a week ago by the Association of Seafood Processors 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 — 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 the FFAW and ASP are blaming each other.
Reports of crab harvesters being physically blocked from hitting the water have also been cropping up in 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."
'Powder keg'
Blaine and Martin Sullivan met the protesters 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?"
OCI has four grandfathered crab licences it leases to four boat owners who catch part of the company's quota.
Blaine Sullivan said the company doesn't control those harvesters but at least one has committed to not fishing at current low price.
"I don't know what the other three are going to do. It's up to them. We don't control it. They're independent fishermen who catch some of our quota," he said.
Pretty called the situation a "powder keg" that has reached Parliament in Ottawa.
During question period Friday, Tory MP Clifford Small blamed the Liberal government for not convincing trade partners Japan and South Korea to import Canadian crab rather than cheaper Russian crab.
"As a result, the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab fishery is at a standstill," Small said.
Liberal MP Mike Kelloway, parliamentary secretary to the minister of fisheries and oceans, said the government is raising those concerns with its trade partners and will "stand up for Canadians."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is leaving for South Korea next week.
International Trade Minister Mary Ng said the fishery's challenges and its exports are on government's radar.
As for the FFAW and ASP, there is no plan to return to the bargaining table in short order. In a press release, the union said harvesters have "expressed a desire to take further political action around the province" next week should a resolution not be found.
With files from Terry Roberts and Patrick Butler