SEA-NL: A “Distinct” Voice for Owner-Operators
Photos courtesy of SEA-NL
Oddly enough, the idea of a new association to serve as the “distinct” voice of the province’s more than 3,000 licensed, independent owner-operator inshore fish harvesters originated with the FFAW.
In 1993, a federal Task Force on Incomes and Adjustment in the Atlantic Fishery held a focus-group discussion with the union’s inshore council.
This is part of what it had to say: “Government should be dealing with owner-operators — not the ...
SFA 6 Shrimp TAC Needs to be Revisited
Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Bernadette Jordan on May 25, 2021.
I write regarding the recent decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to institute a year-over-year limit of 15 per cent on increases to the total allowable catch (TAC) in shrimp fishing area (SFA) 6 off southern Labrador and northeastern Newfoundland.
There is no mention in DFO’s Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) for Northern shrimp of such a year-ove...
Cleary Behind Another Organization to Represent Independent Owner-Operators
After a hiatus of nearly two years, another attempt, involving a familiar name or two, is being made to form another organization representing inshore fishermen in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In April, a news release announced that a new group — the Seafood Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL), was being formed to serve as the independent voice of the province’s more than 3,000 licensed commercial inshore fish harvesters.
“Owner-operators are a distinct group ...
All Unions Should Have Term Limits
I wish to reply to Barb Dean-Simmons’ article, Not all members of FFAW will get to vote for interim secretary-treasurer, published in The Telegram’s Sept. 29 edition.
Not only was the byelection to replace retired secretary-treasurer Dave Decker reserved for members of the FFAW executive, but when nominations opened, the 2,600-plus inshore harvesters who signed FISH-NL cards in the fall of 2019 were blocked from running for the office.
The FFAW executive unilaterally changed the ...
A Way Must be Found to Reach Out to N.L. Inshore Harvesters
Near the end of FISH-NL’s three-year battle with the FFAW-Unifor, a senior reporter with the local CBC took exception on Twitter to being tagged to a particular clash between the two unions and asked to be left out of the “spat.”
The fact the respected journalist (one-time host of the CBC’s Fisheries Broadcast) easily dismissed so much long-standing labour unrest in the fishery as a petty tiff was an insult to the thousands of fishermen/women who signed FISH-NL cards.
To me, too, ...
FISH-NL Finally Folds After Failing to Sign Up 4,000 Harvesters
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is officially no more.
The upstart labour organization finally folded on Dec. 3.
In early November, FISH-NL said it was still far short of getting 4,000 inshore fishermen to sign union cards and the future was not looking good.
FISH-NL needed at least 4,000 signed cards (representing 40 per cent of the 10,000 inshore harvesters the FFAW-Unifor claimed existed) to trigger a vote for them to choose which ...
A Single Union Cannot Represent All Sides of the Fishing Industry
Since FISH-NL began our second membership drive in mid-August, the FFAW-Unifor has sucker punched its processor buddies, staged a free-fish giveaway, fallen for outside buyers, launched a seal petition and declared war on the oil and gas industry that it usually never says a peep about.
The FFAW-Unifor has also gone after its oil industry regulator buddy, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (which has funded the FFAW), for permitting oil and gas exploration in prime ...
FISH-NL Vows to Fight On
Labour Group Announces it Will be Proceeding with Second Certification Drive Later This Year
Earlier this spring, it appeared the death knell was not far off for the Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL).
Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL, made a final plea that the upstart labour organization would be shuttered by the end of April and abandon a second attempt at certification unless inshore harvesters stepped up to the plate and paid their ...
FISH-NL Needs Immediate Funds or Will Fold
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) will close by the end of April and abandon a second attempt at certification unless inshore harvesters step up to the plate and pay their dues.
“I'll say it again, FISH-NL can do this with you, but we can't do it for you,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL.
“The FISH-NL executive is not prepared to lead a second membership drive that’s guaranteed to fail and it will fail without the support of ...
FISH-NL Prepares for Second Membership Drive
Last fall, the Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of
Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) stated it was not going away anytime soon
and it appears to be sticking to those words.
The fledgling labour organization made the declaration
following the Oct. 1 decision by the NL Labour Relations Board decision to
finally dismiss FISH-NL’s certification application.
At the time, FISH-NL President Ryan Cleary told the CBC
that the dismissal was not a blow but “an opportunity.” He added ...
SEA-NL: A “Distinct” Voice for Owner-Operators
Photos courtesy of SEA-NL Oddly enough, the idea of a new association to serve as the “distinct” voice of the province’s more than 3,000 licensed, independent owner-operator inshore fish harvesters originated with the FFAW. In 1993, a federal Task Force on Incomes and Adjustment in the Atlantic Fishery held a focus-group discussion with the union’s inshore council. This is part of what it had to say: “Government should be dealing with owner-operators — not the ...