UFAWU MEETINGS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONVENTION
Despite a very general promise made by the minister early in 1965, we have seen no real action on our demands for licence limitation. The only suggestions received, containing higher fees for the right to fish salmon, have been roundly condemned by our general executive board and standing committee on fishery regulations, as well as by membership meetings.
Negotiations with the United States over interception of northern BC salmon runs have been opened and further meetings are expected this spring.
At the same time there will be further talks regarding division of Fraser and Puget Sound pink salmon runs between fishermen of the two countries.
Our Union has long been of the opinion that Canada has had the dirty end of the stick in our dealings with the US. We favor a determined stand in the current negotiations . . .
PENSION PLAN PROTEST
The Canada Pension Plan has been adopted in a form which will require all fishermen to pay the full cost (3.6 percent of earnings of $4,400 per year) out of their own pockets. The only hope of changing this will be by representation to the federal cabinet which has power to regulate that one half of the cost be paid by employing companies.
To date no action has been taken in respect of the vicious anti-union recommendations o f the six member Federal-Provincial Inquiry Committee.
The attempt to impose compulsory and binding arbitration and to prohibit the right to strike has been condemned by the entire labor movement. We must be prepared to continue our fight against such slave labor legisla-
tion at any time, as we have no way of forecasting when it may be presented to Ottawa or Victoria.
During the past year more light has been thrown on the difficulties and discrimination endured by Canada's first citizens, the Native Indians and Eskimos.
Our Union has been part of the protest movement which demands a new government policy in education, medical care, housing, employment and industrial development in Native communities. We should consider ways and means of stepping up these efforts during the coming year.
POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE
Efforts are being made by certain groups of fishermen to bring about far reaching changes in fishery regulations in the name of equality of opportunity. Such efforts could easily lead to a gear war, in which the main effort of each group is directed toward reaping a larger share of the salmon resource.
We should consider the positive alternatives of rebuilding the resource, with limitation of numbers of fishermen before we plunge headlong into gear conflict over a shrinking resource.
The problem of mechanisation and automation as it affects our industry requires careful study, out of which a program of action in 1967 can be developed .The shore plant crews and tendermen have dropped appreciably in recent years and further declines in numbers employed are not far away . . .
These are some of the major issues requiring discussion in all locals in preparation for the convention. No doubt other issues, including the danger of World War 3 rising out of the Vietnam conflict, will be debated . . .
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ASSISTANCE
Only 38 days left to reduce your 1965 taxes!
If you act now. Investors can still help you save 1965 tax dollars! How? Through a Registered Retirement Savings Plan. On your 1965 tax form there is a place provided where you can deduct qualified payments from your total income. You save tax dollars now and make them multiply into a handsome retirement income. You are likely eligible for this additional tax deduction even if you participate in a group pension plan. To qualify for 1965 tax deductions, payments must be made before March 1, 1966. Find out now. Fill in the coupon and mail it today.
E. W. DOBSON, Phone 526-3725
SYNDICATE LIMITED 601 Royal Ave., New Westminster
Without obligation please send me additional information.
Name
Address
j City/Town _____.........._........_..............---------------- Prov..
December 3, it represented the only occasion on which the government of Canada has made a direct payment to fishermen to compensate for loss of income due to failure of their catch. The government was anxious to make an early announcement so that fishermen could look forward to payments beginning in January.
The most practical method of establishing a list of fishermen eligible for the assistance was through examination of the records of the Unemployment Insurance Comission.
The plan announced December 3 guaranteed payments totalling $200 over a three month period to every fisherman with dependants who had at least five weeks of contributions to unemployment insurance based on the sale of fish.
If such fishermen had sufficient weeks of contribution to be entitled to unemployment insurance but the entitlement was less than $200, supplemental payments would be made to bring the total up to $200. In the case of fishermen without dependants, total payments under this special program were to be brought to $150.
NEED FOR INCREASE
The government acted quickly before all information about the 1985 fishery was available and before it was possible to estimate accurately the extent of the failure of the inshore fishery.
Now that applications for unemployment insurance and emergency assistance are available a review of the situation has been made to determine how adequately the announced assistance would meet the problem in areas where the fishery was a failure.
In carrying out the undertaking of the prime minister to provide assistance to fishermen who had suffered catch failure, it was intended that the assistance to the average fisherman would be sufficient to make it unnecessary for him to look for other sources of welfare assistance.
The review has satisfied the government that the addition of emergency assistance to that provided through unemployment insurance is a sound method of supplementing the income of those fishermen who suffered catch failure in 1965. It indicates, however, that if the desired objective is to be reached the level of assistance should be increased over that announced on December 3.
With this in mind, the govern' ment has decided to increase the maximum payment for fishermen with dependants from $200 to $350 and for single fishermen from $150 to $200.
FEBRUARY ADJUSTMENT
Payments for the month of January have already gone forward to a large number of fishermen on the basis announced on De cember 3. It will take some time to recalculate the payments to individual fishermen on the new basis and therefore the payments cannot be adjusted until after the end of January.
Fishermen will receive in Feb ruary a payment calculated on the new basis plus an upward adjustment of their January payment.
Fishermen who have already turned in their books to the Unemployment Insurance Commission need take no further action as the necessary adjustments will be made to their applications by
the department of fisheries working with the Unemployment Insurance Commission.
Any fisherman who has five weeks of fishing stamps or more and has not sent his book to the Unemployment Insurance Commission should do so as soon as possible. Fishermen will not be eligible for the special assistance from the department of fisheries unless they have sent in their books prior to March 26.
Fishermen with dependants whose unemployment insurance entitlements will exceed $200 but will be less than $350 will be eligible for assistance under this plan. Fishermen without dependants, with unemployment insurance entitlements between $150 and $200,' will also be eligible.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
AQUARIUM
Approving the campaign for the project, the Union's general executive board said it felt a Children's Aquarium would serve an important educational need by increasing children's understanding of the need for conservation, for preventing pollution and developing a greater appreciation of the value of the province's fishery resources.
In a letter sent to all locals and women's auxiliaries to the Union, the board states:
"The project sponsored by the Union is the Children's Aquarium. Its purpose will be to acquaint groups of visiting school children witn various forms of marine life. Fish and other sea animals will be on display. Some species, such as starfish, will be handled by the children.
"Further information will be provided by lectures and special films, under direction of an educational supervisor.
"Another adjacent room, the Aquatic Nature Centre, will be used together with the Children's Aquarium to capture the interest of the children and to help them understand life in the sea around us.
"The aquarium also plans to take some of the educational material out to schools in the Greater Vancouver - Lower Mainland area . . .
"The following facts should be noted:
• The original cost of the existing aquarium was $300,000 — shared by the federal, provincial and city governments. Built to handle 100,000 visitors per year, in 1964 attendance was 423,915.
• The three governments have allocated $900,000 for expansion of the aquarium. Another $150,-000 has been added by private donors.
• To complete all the plans another $350,000 is being raised among the general public. The Children's Aquarium, at a cost of $20,000, is included in the planned expansion.
• In 1965 the aquarium issued free passes to 45,000 Vancouver children. In 1966 100,000 free passes will be issued to children throughout the lower mainland. In 1967 30Q,000 will be issued throughout BC.
• In past years, groups of 80 school children and their teachers, from various schools, have been taken on special tours of the aquarium. This is apart from issuance of free passes.
BC PACKERS IMPERIAL PLANT
FRESH FISH AND COLD STORAGE MEN
Wednesday, January 26
8 p.m. STEVESTON COMMUNITY HALL
ANNUAL MEETING VANCOUVER SHOREWORKERS LOCAL Saturday, January 29
10 a.m. FISHERMEN'S HALL 138 East Cordova Street
• Election of officers
• Election of convention delegates
• Convention resolutions
• Financial report
ALBION LOCAL Sunday, January 30
2 p.m. ALBION COMMUNITY HALL
• Election of convention delegates
• Convention call
• Organisational agenda for 1966
ANNUAL MEETING
STEVESTON SHOREWORKERS LOCAL Sunday, February 6
10:30 a.m. STEVESTON COMMUNITY CENTRE
• Election of officers
• Election of convention delegates
• Financial report
• Ottawa delegation
SIDNEY LOCAL Monday, February 7
8 p.m. KOP HALL, SIDNEY • Report on delegation to USSR and showing of films by Homer Stevens
VICTORIA FISHERMEN'S LOCAL Tuesday, February 8
7:30 p.m. WILLIAMS BUILDING 749 Broughton Street
• Election of officers
• Election of convention delegates
• Election of delegates to Ottawa
• Convention resolutions
• Financial statement
VANCOUVER FISHERMEN'S LOCAL Tuesday, February 15
7:30 p.m. FISHERMEN'S HALL 138 East Cordova Street
• Nomination of convention delegates
• Convention resolutions
• Delegation to Ottawa (A% scmfwcmfw
QUALITY GUARANTEED
FISHING NET & TWINE
M0R1SHITA FISHING NET MFG. CO., LTD.
A f\ OSAKA. JAPAN. j
North Pacific Trading Co., Ltd.
FISHING GEAR
"Fishmore" Brand Symbolising More Fish for Your Money and Time
GILLNETS: Available in double and single knots.
SEINE WEBBING: Black dyed and specially dipped tar to outlast any other form of tarring. High tenacity filament type—700 Nylon used—supreme for fishing purposes, produced by TOYO RAYON CO. LTD. and exported by Mitsui and Co. Ltd.
HURRY! HURRY! Make the best for 1966 by placing your order now. Samples and colors available by request
378 Powell Street Vancouver 4, B.C. Telephone: 684-7623
12
THE FISHERMAN—JANUARY 21, 1966