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Representing The Organized Fishermen And Shoreworkers of British Columbia
| ATTENTION: HALIBUT MET
| SPECIAL MEET NOV. 16
f§ A special meeting of halibut fishermen will be held Saturday,
g November 16 at 10 a.m. to elect a representative to the Hali-
M but Commission, meeting in Seattle on November 26. Other
tj halibut business will be discussed. Halibut men are requested
|j to make every effort to attend this important meeting.
Vol. VIII. No. 35.
<354)
VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAf, NOVEMBER 8, 1946
Union Printers
2303 E Hastings St
PRICE: 5c
Charges Against Gillnetters Dropped
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Ceepeecee Stewards £3S Se
Ceepeecee shop stewards' committee, United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union. They are, from left to right: Margaret Johnson, Jim Brown, Lillian Reitan, Marie Anderson, Adeline Sobotka. and Charlie Hagberg. Absent were George Ubel and Millie Ponak. This picture, and others of west coast scenes, were taken by UFAWU Business Agent Alex Gordon on his recent trip there.
Outmoded Bylaw 62 Used By Royal City Harbor Commission
Charged with violating one of the New Westminster Harbor Commission bylaws, a number of gillnet fishermen were freed in Royal City court Wednesday following charges against them being dropped by the Harbor Commission at the suggestion of Magistrate Johnson. The men were accused of having violated bylaw 62 which prohibits gillnets from being allowed to drift in
f-i The young ladies above-
l/dnilcry vrllls arc employed in the herring cannery at Ceepeecee. From left to right, they are Marguerite Leroux, Leona Lee, Katherine McDonald, and Adeline Sobotka.
the channel of the Fraser river between the lightship of the Sand-heads and number one Wingdam below Gilbert Road, Lulu Island.
Although this bylaw has been in effect since April 13, 1943, this is the first time this particular section has been enforced by the Harbor Commission. Their previous policy was to ignore fishing in this particular area as a matter of courtesy since it was realized that strict enforcement would deprive the fishermen of one of the most valuable fishing areas.
The only comparable incident previous to the present action took place last fall when four fishermen were convicted on a charge of failing to pick up their nets to allow passage of a deep-sea vessel after the warning signal had been given by the vessel. Following that, a delegation from the union met the harbor commission and Tom Reid, M.P., in an attempt to work out a more satisfactory method of providing an unencumbered channel for larger vessels while protecting the rights of the gillnetters.
Those fishermen charged this time were defended by the union's lawyer, John Stanton, in the county court at New Westminster.
Some cases were heard on Wednesday, October 30, at which time most of those defended by the union preferred to pay a fine of $10 and costs rather than go to the trouble of fighting the case or having to return for another hearing. Three of the union members pleaded guilty to being in the area and received the same fine. Johnny Begg, who pleaded not guilty, was dismissed because of a statement by the chief witness, Constable Thomas, to the effect that Begg was fishing in territory under the jurisdiction of "Delta County." Since their is no such county and if there was, Begg could not be tried in New Westminster county court, the case was dismissed.
The commission's lawyer, Dun can, then asked for an adjourn
TlgH PRtOg
Following fish prices obtained at Campbell Avenue Dock on Friday, November 8, at Vancouver.
White Spring Salmon ----12c lb.
Red Spring Salmon:
Large .................... 24c lb.
Medium ................ 20c lb.
Small ................... 14c lb.
Coho .................... 15V4c lb.
Flounders <ln round) ---- 2c lb.
Soles ...................... 5c lb.
Ling Cod Livers:
Inside Waters ........ 75c lb.
West Coast ........... 50e lb.
Dogfish Livers (bought on test)
Grey Cod Livers .......... 4c lb.
Fresh Grey Cod (dressed) 5c lb. Live Cod (dressed, headed,) 10c lb. Gillnet Herring .......... 6c lb
SEATTLE
(Wednesday, November 6, 1946)
Petrale Sole .............. 7c lb.
Ling Cod ................. «c lb.
True Cod ................ 6c lb.
Rockfish ..................4ttc lb.
Sableflsh .................ll^c lb.
Troll Salmon:
Red Spring ............ 40c lb.
White Spring ............33c lb.
Silver (Coho) .......... 36c lb.
OLE MARTIN ILL
IN GENERAL HOSPITAL
Ole Martin, well-known fisherman unionist and cooperator, is very ill in General Hospital. Located in Ward 1, Ole is under an oxygen tent.
He waa taken to hospital November 3. Despite his illness, he would very much like to- receive visitors, according to word sent along by his wife.
Fishermen Annoyed At Early Closure Of Fraser River Area
Sudden announcement by the federal fisheries department that the whole of district 1 would be closed to net fishing effective Saturday morning at eight o'clock, has brought a bitter reaction from gillnetters fishing in the Fraser river.
According to these fishermen, chums are reported showing in large quantities off the Sandheads. This is the late of chums which annually
ment of the remaining cases for one week. At this point, Charles Martin asked to be found guilty so that he would not have to return to court. Afterward the charge" was withdrawn.
On Wednesday, November 6, the remaining cases were to have been heard, but on the recommendation of Magistrate Johnson, the charges against them were withdrawn by the commission lawyer.
In making this recommendation Magistrate Johnson point-out that the present regulations were not clearly defined and should be amended. He also said that in his opinion both the fishing industry and the shipping industry were important to the county of New Westminster and that regulations should be drawn up that would allow both to operate simultaneously in a more harmonious fashion.
The union has arranged for a meeting with the harbor commission for Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. to take this question up once again. There will be
—Continued on Page 8
At Kildonan
The three men pictured here are, from left to right, Tony Keller, reduction plant shop steward at Kildonan; Leo ^Olsen, a crew member of the packer Koskeemo; and Bert Petras, chief shop steward at the west coast operation.
run
enters the river during November. In 1942, it is pointed out by these men, chum fishing was at its best during the last two weeks of November.
It is felt by fishermen affected who have been talking over this matter that the purposes of conservation would be amply served were the fisheries department to
Radio Conferences For Union Wednesday
Starting this week and continuing every Wednesday at 5:15 p.m., the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union will hold a radio conference for the purpose of reporting union news and general information of interest to the fishing fleet. Any questions raised will also be answered during the conference.
All vessels having radio receiving sets are asked to listen in each Wednesday at 5:15 to get this information and to pass It on to those sections of the fleet without radio equipment.
declare an extended weekend closed period.
"The step taken by the department is too drastic," declared UFAWU organizer Homer Stevens, in commenting on the closure. Weather conditions at present are unfavorable for fish entering the river so fishing would very likely have been moving between now and the end of this month.
The union is communicating with the federal department of fisheries. An attempt will be made to arrange a delegation to meet the chief supervisor.
I VANCOUVER LOCAL I
I MEETS THURSDAY i
|
Vancouver local meet- 1
ing, originally set for J
Thursday, November 7, 1
has been postponed for g
one week to Thursday, H
November 14. This meet- 1
ing is very important and 1
all members are request- 1
ed urgently to attend. §
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Co-op Ups Dogfish Mud Livers Nickel
An Immediate increase of five cents per pound in the down payment to be paid for dogfish and mudshark livers has been announced by Gordon Crane, manager of the fish oil department. United Fishermen's Co-op.
Prices now to be paid are as follows:
Low Potency ... .20c lb. (Testing under 8,000 U.S.P.)
High Potency ____25c lb.
(Testing over 8,000 U.S.P.)
Payment of 20 cents per pound will be paid on landing at the plant. When tests are complete, oil tests showing over the 8,000 U.S.P. potency, the additional five cents will be paid immediately.
As he pointed out last week in The Fisherman, Mr. Crane stresses the fact that this small increase in the advance payment must in no way be taken as Indicative of the increase in the final payment.
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Arbitration to Settle Sooke Sockeye Price
Whether sockeye caught by seiners in the Sooke area will be paid for at 15 cents a pound or at 14 cents a pound will be decided by an arbitration committee to be convened at an early date. Announcement to this effect was issued by William Rigby, secretary-treasurer of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union, after a joint committee representing the Fishermen's
Union, the Native Brotherhood and the Vancouver Vessel Owners' Association met with representatives of the Salmon Canners' Operating Committee Monday afternoon. Representing the fishermen during the discussion were union president George Miller, secretary W. Rigby, George McKay, Guy Williams, Native Brotherhood business agent, and Captain Bill Pitre for the Vessel Owners.
Following the meeting Secretary Rigby issued the following statement:
"During the interview union representatives strongly protested against action taken by the companies concerned in settling boats at 14 cents a lb. for Sooko sockeye. The union considered sockeye caught in this area as Fraser river fish to be paid for at 15 cents in exactly the same way and for the same reason as sockeye caught in the Gulf has always been paid for at the Fraser river price.
"The position taken by the companies is that the agreement with the union when it refers to Fraser river sockeye is confining the
agreement price of 15 cents to that specific geographic area and no other.
"In view of the impossibility of reconciling these conflicting viewpoints Bob Walker on behalf of the salmon canners proposed that an arbitration committee be established in, accordance with Article VIII, Section 1, of the union agreement.
"Union representatives accepted this proposal as a means of deciding this controversy in strict accordance with the provisions of the union agreement.
Article Vni, Section 1, of the 1946 salmon price agreement reads:
"Any dispute arising out of this agreement which cannot be settled by the union and the company shall be referred to a committee of one representative of the union and one representative of the company and one disinterested party, satisfactory to both the union and the company for settlement."
In discussions between the union and operators during the week various names have been suggested to act as the disinterested —Continued on Page 8
EAST COAST FISHERY UNIONS AMALGAMATE
HALIFAX, N.S., Oct. 28.—The second convention of the Canadian Fishermen's Union, conducted as a joint convention with the Canadian Fish Handlers' Union, concluded its sessions Sunday evening, after deciding by unanimous vote to amalgamate the two organizations into one covering all branches of the East Coast fishing industry, a step taken in B.C. in the spring of 1945. An executive board of fourteen members, on which deep-sea and shore fishermen and fish handlers are all represented, was elected at the final session. The fifty-three delegates, representing over three thousand "workers in all parts of Nova Scotia, had heard their executive officers report substantial progress in organizational strength and gains in wages and working conditions for members in various parts of the industry. Membership and number of locals in the fishermen's division had more than doubled since the first convention in Lunenburg in September, 1944.
Fish handlers had grown from one local, which had not yet even obtained recognition in 1944, to seven functioning locals with five signed agreements and two more contracts now pending.
Major achievements of the organizations in this period were the winning of certification for the deep-water vessels and trawlers; the elimination of the 10-hour day and establishment of the eight-hour day in all the major
fish plants; the establishment of wage rates approaching equality with prevailing rates in other major industries of the province. As the convention was in ses-
sion, balloting was being completed aboard the vessels, crews of which were being asked to decide whether to accept or reject —Continued on Page 8
Average Pink, Chum Weights
Weighing Week Ending
Station Nov. 2 Nov. 9
Sub-Areas Chums Chums
HOME PLANT No. 1—
Port McNeil to Seymour Narrows 9.16
IMPERIAL No. 1—
Port McNeil to Seymour Narrows ...
CEEPEECEE No. 2—Cape Cook to Esperanza
but not including Esperanza ..... 7.90 7.80
No. 3—Esperanza to Estevan . . 8.52 8.20
KILDONAN No. 2—Barclay Sound . ........ 8.50
No. 4—Nitinat ................... 9.45