CANNERS FORCE INDUSTRY STRIKE
Fishermen Reject Cuts By 81.7 Percent Vote,
Price 10c per copy, $4.00 a year
an
Vol. XXVI. No. 23.
VANCOUVER, B.C., JULY 12, 1963
Bristol Disaster For Reds
"A disaster year for the rich Bristol Bay red salmon fishery appears to be in the making."
That's the lead paragraph in an Associated Press story from Juneau July 10 appearing Wednesday in The Seattle Times.
Two days later, the same paper said "Bristol Bay red salmon runs this year are the poorest in history."
Total catch and escapement of Bristol Bay reds to Saturday, July 6 totalled a mere 3.8 million fish compared to some 10.5 million last year for the full season.
Last season's catch yielded 715.-342 cases of red (sockeye) salmon but up to July 7 this year, only 201.270 cases had been packed. The actual Bristol Bay rea
catch to July 6 this year is 1.7
million fish with an escapement
of 2.1 million.
A total of 15 million fish, including the estimated Japanese catch of Bristol Bay reds, had been forecast by fisheries bureau experts. Last year's run was some 12 million reds, including a reported 1.5 million taken by the Japanese.
Normal peak of the Bristol Bay run is from July 4 to 8 but this has passed with no signs of the run and non-resident fishermen are leaving for home.
SOCKEYE SHORTAGE
This crisis has placed sockeye in a premium position this year with a North American shortage inevitable.
Stories of great pink catches appear to have been exaggerated.
In the Kodiak area, for instance, a smaller run than last year's is predicted.
The Seattle Times, without giving numbers of fish, said that "In . . . the northern part of the Panhandle, so many pink salmon are showing up that fishing rules have been changed to meet the unexpected situation."
But in a later story it noted that this year's pinks are small. "This means that the pinks being canned are high priced fish," a man close to the industry is quoted.
Overall Alaska pack through Sunday, July 7, was: chums 54,872 cases (down from 119,920 at the same time last year); reds 201,270 (down from 393,3511; springs 35,205: i down from 42,225): cohos, 1,658 (down from 1,733); pinks 58,742 (up from 13,376).
The figures, which total 351,745 cases this year compared to 570,-C05 to the same time last year, look puny alongside Alaska's final pack figures for 1962 which were: reds 715,342 cases: pinks 1,872,763 cases; chums 685.332 cases; coho 96,660 cases; springs 48,091 cases.
See DISASTER—Page 3
Welcome Home, Fellows
MEET THEM TUESDAY Hundreds of trade unionists are expected at Oakalla's gates by 8 o'clock on the morning ot Tuesday, July 16, to welcome Dave West, left, and Joseph Hendsbee on their release from jail. The two trade unionists were sentenced to six months in Oakalla on charges of assaulting a scab truck driver during a strike at Allied Engineering of Vancouver last November in which police dogs were used to assist strikebreakers. Both men are members of Seamen's Local 400, Canadian Brotherhood of Railway, Transport, and General Workers. (See editorial, page 4).
OCEAN FALLS PULP MEN BACK SALMON STRIKERS
Ocean Falls Local 312 of the International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite, and Paper Mill Workers has pledged "all possible moral and financial support should the salmon net fishermen be forced to take strike action."
President Pete Marshall wrote The Fisherman this week offering the Local's assistance in obtaining meeting places, issuing material, and distributing the paper.
Extending "fraternal greetings to all members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union" on behalf of the nearly 900 members of Local 312*, Marshall said the Local is asking the Canadian vice president of the Union to pledge support to the organised fishermen and allied workers.
The UFAWU has received the Local's offer of assistance with an expression of appreciation.
Shore Deadline July 17
British Columbia's salmon net fishermen went on strike at noon Saturday, July 13, following a coastwise secret ballot vote of members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union and Native Brotherhood of BC which showed 81.7 percent in favor of strike.
Fishing companies were notified of the vote and the strike decision by registered letter immediately following final tabulation of the ballot.
The fleet, at fishing camps,*--■----
tre-
strength which was re-n the 1,606 plant workers who voted for strike in the government ballot. Canners literally organised the
FlgH VR1CES
Vancouver
THURSDAY, JULY 11 HALIBUT
Chix lb. 18c
Medium lb. 24-24.2c
Large lb. 24-24.1c
WEEK ENDING JULY 6 SPRINGS
Large red lb. 75-80c
Medium red lb. 60-62c
Small red lb. 43-45c
Large white lb. 55-60c
Medium white lb. 37-46c
COHO lb. 33-39c
PINKS lb. 20c
OTHER SPECIES
Sole lb. 5%-8c
Grey cod lb. 6-7c
Red and rock cod lb. 6-10c
Ling cod lb. 10-13c
Turbot lb. 2'/2C
Shrimp (meat) lb. $1.20
Prince Rupert
TUESDAY, JULY 9 HALIBUT Chix Medium Large
Companies Pull Late Hour Sneak
WEEK ENDING SPRINGS Large red Medium red Small red
lb. 16c lb. 21.2-21.6c lb. 22.2-22.6c JULY 6
lb. 72c lb. 52c lb. 38c lb. 50-51c lb. 32-33c lb. 30-33c lb. 37-38c lb. 15-18c lb. 20c
Large white Small white COHO SOCKEYE PINKS CHUMS
Seattle
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 HALIBUT Chix lb. 18c
Medium lb. 22.7c
Large ......._......._ lb. 24c
Ketchikan
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 HALIBUT
Chix..................................... lb. 14c
Medium ______........ lb. 21c
Large............. lb. 22c
The Fisheries Association in a last minute attempt to influence shoreworkers in the government supervised strike vote deliberately falsified its actual pension plan and statutory holiday pay proposals to make them out as major contract improvements.
In actual fact, what the canners have "offered" in both cases amounts to nothing or so close tn nothing it's impossible to tell the difference.
Under present statutory holiday pay provisions, companies have made it impossible for all but a handful of workers to collect statutory holiday pay for the Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day holidays.
In its latest issue of Facts on Fish, the Association says monthly paid workers "shall receive pay for Christmas Day" if they have been employed "any time in December" and work "until the last
day that work is available in
December ..."
This "concession" makes no provision for pay either for Boxing Day or New Year's Day.
BIG HOURLY DEAL
The big break companies propose for hourly paid workers is payment for Christmas Day "if they have worked a minimum of 225 days during the calendar year in any shore operation." Again, there is no provision for Boxing Day or New Year's Day.
Moreover, the qualification is ridiculous since there are only 251 working days in a year exclusive of the nine provincial statutory holidays. Few are the hourly paid workers who would meet the qualification for Christmas Day pay.
The conciliation board majority award for shoreworkers provided recognition of the full nine statutory holidays instead of five at present and set out more reasonable qualifying conditions than' those now existing.
See COMPANIES PULL—Page 8
North Vancouver, Delta Back BC Fisheries Parley
Mayor W. M. Angus of North Vancouver City and Delta Municipal Council have expressed support for an emergency federal-provincial fisheries conference as speedily as possible "on all matters related to the threat to the BC fishing industry."
They have written BC Premier W. A. C. Bennett and Prime Minister L. B. Pearson nrging them to call the conference as proposed by the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, the Fishing Vessel Owners Association, and the Native Brotherhood of BC.
In addition to writing the two government leaders, Delta Council sent letters to New Westminster MP Barry Mather, minister of northern affairs and national resources Arthur Laing, and minister of forestry J. R. Nicholson, informing them of its support for the conference.
In their letter urging the emerg-
ency meeting, the three fishermen's organisations called on Pearson and Bennett to "begin immediate consultations regarding the political and economic factors involved in holding such a conference. We trust you will realise the value of an early agreement in principle that a conference is required."
Five cabinet ministers have replied to the joint proposal, all of them acknowledgments, with minister of trade and commerce Mitchell Sharp going farther than the others in promising that "your representations will receive careful consideration."
Others answering were fisheries minister H. J. Robichaud. minister of justice Lionel Chevrier. minister of citizenship and immigration Guy Favreau, secretary of state for external affairs Paul Martin, and minister of northern affairs and national resources Arthur Laing.
plants, and ports all the way Unio" strike v°tes showed L^rv, lu T7* D- , .,J mendous strength which wa
from tne traser River to the fleeted Nass, voted to tie up rather than accept a Fisheries Association proposal to cut the price
of pink salmon by 2Vz cents opposition, not only by issuing last
Der nounn to nine cents anrl minilte Propaganda aimed at taper pound to nine cents, and fluencing tne vote against strike
coho by tour cents to 20 cents They hired large numbers of work per pound. j ers for the first time this season
The salmon net fishermen, faced by mounting costs of operation and increased cost of living, have been seeking price increases for all species, an improved welfare plan that will give increased benefits to widows and orphans, and institution uf a group medical insurance plan. Prices sought are 36 cents sockeye, 16 cents chums, 15 cents pinks, and 30 cents coho.
Strike deadline of 12 noon, Saturday. July 13, was set more than two weeks ago by the joint negotiating and policy committee of the Union and Brotherhood. SHORE STRIKE VOTE
Shoreworkers, who balloted by 54.1 percent for strike in a government supervised vote conducted Friday. July 12, will work until 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 17, in order to process net salmon caught prior to the July 13 deadline and other species caught up to midnight Sunday. This is aimed at preventing v. astage and spoilage of fish. In. an earlier Union vote, shore-workers voted by 78 percent to strike
Under Union-Brotherhood strike rules, net caught salmon delivered to plants by tendermen up to midnight July 15 will be processed.
Tendermen, who have not announced a decision regarding strike, voted by 49.7 peicent for strike in a government supervised ballot completed Friday, July 12. They voted by 85 percent for strike a week earlier in a Union vote. In line with longstanding Union practice, tendermen will not handle any fish declared "hot" by salmon net fishermen 'and shoreworkers.
Under Union-Brotherhood strike rules, troll salmon, crabs, bottom fish, and halibut caught before midnight Sunday, July 14, will not be declared hot if it is delivered in time.
Such fish will be handled by tendermen and processed by shore-workers if it has been landed at a camp prior to midnight Sunday, July 14, or landed at a processing plant before midnight, July 16. HALIBUT VESSELS
Halibut vessels now out on the grounds which cannot land their catches in a Canadian port by the July 16 midnight deadline will be permitted to land their trips in US ports but must then proceed to their home port in Canada.
Canadian halibut vessels now in port are to remain in port. The policy of the Union is to prevent spoilage and extreme hardship, not to grant special fishing privileges during a strike, the central strike and policy committee explained.
A long standing rule of the Union in previous strikes has been that the herring fleet is also a salmon seine fleet and will be governed by the same rules as salmon net vessels. In other words, the herring fleet is tied up except for being permitted to wash out seines prior to the 11 a.m. strike deadline July 17 for shoreworkers! AFFECTS ALL COMPANIES
So far as the impending shore-workers' strike is concerned, it affects all companies, both Fisheries Association and "independent." Workers at the independents voted by secret ballot in a Union conducted poll since a group of the small operators did not ask for a government supervised vote.
Both the cannery and fresh fish and cold storage sections of the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Cooperative Association voted to strike and the big Co-op operation will shut down Wednesday morning.
"We stand ready to negotiate with the Co-op or any of the companies at any time," Union secretary Homer Stevens stated. "So far, however, Co-op officials have given no indication they intend to break away from the companies and the policies set by them."
The Co-op, like the companies, has rejected a majority conciliation board award that would give shore-workers a iVz percent wage increase and an improved statutory holiday pay plan. THREE PERCENT
Companies have countered with a straight three percent wage offer and what Union representatives describe as an "insulting" statutory pay proposal that means nothing at all for the overwhelming majority of shore employees.
Companies have offered tender-men three percent. Tendermen have been holding out for $25 per month wage increase, overtime after 12 hours a day. and a boost of 35 cents a day in their board allowance. Shop-workers and tendermen in
for a day or two during the qualifying week of July 1 to 10 and virtually shepherded them into the polling stations.
Regular employees who had a chance to get to Union and plant meetings for honest negotiating reports were overwhelmingly for strike to back up their requests for needed contract improvements.
Basic Strike Facts
SALMON NET FISHERMEN: On strike effective noon July 13 following powerful 81.7 percent vote.
SHOREWORKERS: Strike deadline Wednesday, July 17 at 11 a.m. Voted 54.1 percent to strike. All small companies and Co-op on strike at same time as Fisheries Association firms. TENDERMEN: Voted narrowly against strike but like rest of organised workers in fishing industry will not handle hot fish.
HOT FISH: All net salmon caught after noon July 13 is hot. Net salmon will not be transported to plants after midnight July 15. All troll salmon, crabs, bottom fish, etc. caught after midnight July 14 is hot. Troll salmon, crabs, bottom fish, halibut, etc. will be transported by tendermen and processed by shoreworkers only if it has been landed at a camp prior to midnight July 14 or at a processing plant before midnight July 16.
HALIBUT FLEETS: Vessels unable to land trips in a Canadian port by July 16 midnight may land one trip only in a US port after the deadline. Boats in port at the July 13 deadline or after must remain tied up.
PICKETING: Fishermen's picketing starts immediately at all points with particular emphasis on areas open to fishing under fisheries department regulations.
TRAVELLING: No travelling until noon Tuesday, July 16, and only then by strike committee permit.
FOOD FISHING: No food fishing before 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 16 and all food fishing must be done under permit from and direction of local strike committees.
STRIKE FUND FISHING: Such fishing cannot start before 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 17 and again only under strict supervision. Fishermen to get expenses; 50 percent of net funds go to Union headquarters; prices to public-must be at least five cents above Union price demands.
OTHER JOBS: Nobody is permitted to take other work during the first 10 days of strike and only then by strike committee permission.
THE GOLDEN RULE.: Unity between all fishermen, shore-workers and tendermen will bring victory. Division plays into company hands. Solidarity wins strikes.
Electrical Workers Win 32-74 Cents
Wage increases ranging from 32 to 74 cents an hour have been won by some 200 members of Electrical Workers' Vancouver Local 213 and Victoria Local 230 employed by three major BC electrical contractors. Over the two year life of the con-*
tract concluded last week after 23 months' negotiations, rates of groundmen's helpers will be increased 32 cents to $2.78 an hour: linemen, 42 cents to $3.62; ground-men drivers, 45 cents to $2.91: sub-foremen linemen, 51 cents to $3.09; main operators, 59 cents to $3.50: cable splicers, 61 cents to $3.88; foremen cable splicers, 74 cents to $4.36.
Fringe benefits won by the Union bring the total to a 13 percent overall increase.
These include establishment of a new portable welfare plan into which employers will pay 16 cents an hour for each man. The plan will provide medical coverage, life insurance and benefits to cover loss nt wages through sicknf-s.
Employers will also pay the difference-between compensation payments to injured workers and 85 percent of normal wages.
Eligibility period for three weeks' annual paid vacation has been reduced from eight to five years.
The new contract runs from May 1 this year to April 30, 1965, and retroactive pay for a 16 month period to April 30 this year will be paid at the rate of five cents an hour.
Although the settlement is among the largest won by workers in any industry in recent years, annual earnings of many electrical workers are reduced by layoffs dictated by the seasonal nature of the work. Over the last few years particularly, the working force in the industry has been slashed heavily and workers with years of seniority have found themselves unemployed.
Workers covered by the new agreement are employed by Hume and Rumble Ltd., Petersen Electrical Company Ltd. and Western Electrical Construction Company Ltd.
The Electrical Workers' settlement followed immediately after announcement of a new one year agreement accepted by some 4,000 members of International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers.
The agreement, effective from July 1, increases the base rate from $2.10 to $2.18 an hour and provides fringe benefits which, include an increase from S40 to $50 in nonoccupational accident and sickness benefits and extension of the coverage period from 26 to 39 weeks.
Salmon Pack Shows Dip
With the continuing exception of chums and springs, British Columbia's salmon pack of all species lags well behind last year's figures.
Total 1963 pack now stands at 60,342 cases, as compared with 78-015 cases in 1962 at the same date. 118,466 cases in 1961, and 62,069 cases four years ago.
As reported by the fisheries department in its canned salmon oack bulletin for the week endinb July 6, the sockeye pack stands at 24.669 cases as compared with 31,-393 cases for the corresponding week of 1962 and 38,112 cases in 1961.
The pink pack, which was running ahead of the 1962 pack the previous week, slipped back last week to 4,022 cases as compared with last year's figure of 12.544 cases at the end of the first week of July.
The chum pack, however, climbed last week to 8,694 cases, six times greater than last year's pack for the corresponding week and the highest since 1958. when 8,000 cases had been packed.