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Representing The Organized Fishermen And Shoreworkers of Brit ish Columbia
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I In THIS ISSUE I
§ MORSE CODE MADE EASY . ................... PAGE 3 ■
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■ BUILDING THE UNION ........................ PAGE 5 M
1 TRADES CONGRESS BRIEF TO CABINET .... PAGE 6 1
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VOL. VIII. No. 12
(331)
VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1946
East End Printers,
2303 E. Hasting, St. PRICE: 6c
NEGOTIATIONS OPEN ON NET WAGES
Seattle Fleet Takes Stand Wednesday
Will Decide Action On Halibut Price Issue
Whether or not Seattle halibut fishermen will take a strike ballot to support their demand for an increase of 20% in halibut prices will be decided next Tuesday, April 16, at a meeting of the D e e p s e a Fishermen's Union in Seattle.
This report was brought to a packed meeting of 250 halibut fishermen and vessel owners Wednesday afternoon by United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union secretary William Rigby after a telephone conversation with the Seattle Union.
Two delegates from the Seattle Deepsea Fishermen attended the meeting, Ludvig Larsen and Enoc Lund.
Representatives of the Seattle union and vessel owners had been in an all-day session with the Office of Price Administration over halibut prices wtih the position taken by the OPA reported to be that any application for increase in price ceiling should be made by vessel owners and should be supported by an analysis of any increased cost which would justify increasing the ceiling.
The Vancouver fleet voted to extend sympathy and support to Seattle in their endeavors to obtain a price increase.
No move has been made by the companies to sign the union agreement covering halibut boats nor to continue negotiations on this matter. It is therefore clear that generally speaking, the companies will not be operating their vessels under union agreement unless some of the operators show a changed attitude.
The Wednesday meeting endorsed a motion in regard to company boats now out scrap fishing asking them to be in port no later than April 20. It was also agreed that no long line boats should leave Vancouver after April 16 to go scrap fishing until the halibut season opens.
The meeting decided to have a five-day break between the first and second groups, the same plan endorsed by the Prince Rupert Deep Sea Fishermen's Union. Division of the fleet will be on the same basis as last year with the first group in 1945 now going second, and the second group now going . first. New boats will be drawn for to decide which group they will enter.
A committee was elected to interview chief supervisor of fisheries Major Motherwell to discuss conditions as far ,as reciprocal use of harbors by American and Canadian vessels seeking shelter.
Members of the committee are Lars Voge, Collin McKea, Tom Dybhavn, and William Rigby.
Fish Prices
Following fish prices obtained at Campbell Avenue Dock on Thursday, April 11, at Vancouver:
White Spring Salmon ..... 14c lb.
Red Spring Salmon:
Large .................... 24c lb.
Medium ................. 21c lb.
Small ...........*........ 16c lb.
Flounders (in round) ---- 2c lb.
Soles ...................... Sc lb.
Dogfish Livers:
(Mainly bought on test)
West Coast .............. 30c lb.
Grey Cod Livers ..........4%c lb.
Fresh Grey Cod (dressed) 5c lb. Ling Cod (dressed, headed) 10c lb.
Gillnet Herring .......... 6c lb.
SEATTLE (Wednesday, April 10, 1946)
Petrale Sole .............. 6c lb.
Line Cod ..................»%c lb.
Ling Cod .................. 10c lb.
Rockfish ..................i%c lb.
Here are a couple of informal shots of netmen taken as they gather for one of their frequent net meetings in the Fishermen's Hall.
Netmen Get Together
FIRST MEETINQ ON THURSDAY, TALKS PROCEED
First break in the deadlock between United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union and the Native Brotherhood of B.C. on the one hand and the Salmon Canners' Operating Committee on the other, occurred yesterday with resumption of negotiations on wages and hourly conditions for net-workers. This latest development, which presents
the possibility of an early set-
Fishermen Ask Cent Salmon Price Increase
One cent a pound increase for all species of salmon will be asked by union gillnetters and seiners in 1946.
Decision on prices was made at a special conference of negotiating committees held Monday afternoon in the Fishermen's Hall. Represented at the conference were the Native Brotherhood and Fra-ser River and Vancouver Locals of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. Opinion of Bella Coola, Pender Harbor, So-intula and Quathiaski locals were submitted to the conference by wire.
After thorough discussion the conference decided to ask for the
Otter Trawlers Vote To Come Into UFAWU
Otter trawlers, meeting Wednesday in the Fishermen's Hall, voted to come into the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union as the trawl section. As individuals they will join and be members of the Vancouver Local, but on questions of concern to them particularly, they will meet as do the halibut, herring, pilchard, and seine fleet.
A special meeting of all trawlers will be held on Saturday, April 20, at 10 o'clock, to deal with four main questions:
1. Stabilization of prices.
2. Share agreements on all boats.
3. Regulation of the trawl fishery.
4. Setting of quality standards. Dr. J. L. Hart, of the Pacific
Biological Station who prepared a lengthy memorandum on the otter trawl fishing will be invited to attend the meeting.
A standing committee was elected at last Wednesday's meeting. They are, chairman, Lawrence Doving; secretary. Bill Wyllie; and Herbert Pinchin.
Other committee members are Norman Sigmund, William Shannon, James Wingate, Claude Ed-dington, Harley Brown, Jack Haan, and Frank Radoslovich.
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B.C. Fish Co-ops Announce Liver, Viscera Settlements
Liver and viscera settlement prices, on which payments will begin April 15, were announced this week to The Fisherman by United Fishermen's Co-op Association secretary Karl Dybhavn.
Settlements are made jointly by the U.F. Co-op and the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Co-op Association and payments begin at the same time in both organizations.
High potency livers are being paid up to October of last year and low potency up to December 31. Complete list of joint prices is presented below:
Per Lb.
Halibut Livers, Area 2 ..................... $ .43
Halibut Livers, Area 3 ..................... 1.00
Llngcod Livers, regular pool .............. 2.20
Lingcod Livers, Gulf pool ................. 1.90
Lingcod Livers, KTCA pool ................75
Redcod Livers ............................. 1.40
Blackcod Livers ........................... 1-25
Dogfish Livers, High pool ................. .34
Dogfish Livers, Low pool ...................21
Dogfish Livers, Gulf pool ..................32
Mud Shark Livers, High pool ..............34
Mud Shark Livers, Low pool ...............21
Mud Shark Livers, Gulf pool .............. .32
Soupfin Shark Livers, Local pool ......... 2-50
Soupfin Shark Livers, Skidegate pool ..... 3.70
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Halibut and Blackcod Viscera
Lingcod Viscera ..............
Skate Livers ...................
Ratfish Livers ................
Miscellaneous Livers ...........
.10 .12 .05 .05 .05
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following price for salmon canning:
SOCKEYE
Fraser River .....15»/£cperlb.
Elsewhere .......... 14 %c per lb.
COHO, RED SPRING, STEELHEADS (from beginning of season) Estevan Point to Cape Scott,
QCI ............... 9 c per lb.
All Other Areas ____9%cperlb.
PINKS, CHUMS Queen Charlotte Islands and West Coast of Vancouver Island, above Estevan .... 8Vac per lb. Central and Northern
Areas.............. 3%cperlb.
Johnstone Straits,
Fraser River ...... 4 c per lb.
On white springs the meeting decided to ask for a 6 cent a pound minimum in all areas where a major portion of the fish goes on the fresh market.
A separate schedule of fall chum prices will be drawn up later. The conference decided to present three distinct agreements to be negotiated in this order. J—A price agreement for all seine and gillnet caught salmon.
2—A share basis agreement for
all seine vessels. J—A special agreement on fish weighing methods for seiners.
Negotiations with the operatdrs are expected to begin as soon as a net agreement is concluded.
They will be conducted jointly between the Native Brotherhood and the UFAWU. The policy of the union as decided at the convention is that agreements for cannery workers, tendermen and salmon prices will be signed at the same time.
June 1 has been fixed as the date by which on the part of the union every endeavor will be made to have all all these agreements finalized.
INJURED FISHERMEN WIN DAMAGE SUIT
Angus Neish, on the executive board of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union, and George Brown, also a member of the UFAWU, were awarded damages totalling $3,570 in Supreme Court this week. The damages included $1,500 granted to each of the men for time lost fishing as the result of broken left legs suffered bjj them when the motorcycle they were riding was hit by an automobile at the corner of Hawkes and Cordova last year.
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Salmon Purse Seiners
Special Meeting, Wednesday, April 17 7:30 P.M.
FISHERMEN'S HALL, 138 EAST CORDOVA
Report from Salmon Price Conference UFAWU Locals
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Special Halibut Meet
Fishermen and Vessel Owners Wednesday, April 17, 2 o'Clock
FISHERMEN'S HALL, 138 EAST CORDOVA
Meeting Every Wednesday, 2 p.m., Till Season Under Way
Report On Seattle Decisions
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tlement of the network stoppage, came following interchange of correspondence between the Salmon Canners' Operating Committee, the UFAWU and the Native Brotherhood during the past few days.
Discussion at the negotiating: meeting yesterday was confined exclusively to hours and wages. Netmen met yesterday afternoon to discuss and make decision on the company's proposed wage scale.
The companies have definitely agreed on an eight-hour day, except in cases where it is mutually understood that there shall be no control of hours. Overtime will be paid for time worked on Sundays, except when Monday or Tuesday is given as the day of rest in lieu of Sunday. Overtime will also be paid for all hours worked on Dominion or Provincial statutory holidays, which total nine and include Dominion Day, Boxing Day, and the Twenty-fourth of May.
In reply to the union's request that all hourly paid classifications receive time and one-half overtime, the operators expressed opposition. Members of the net negotiating committee pointed out that the establishment of multiple overtime conditions was necessary as far as fishworkers generally are concerned and unless put into effect, the Hours of Work Act would mean nothing to workers in the fishing industry. It was also pointed out that time and one-half overtime was necessary if workers were to be compensated for the disadvantage they suffered by being employed by the hour instead of on a monthly basis.
Networkers voted unanimously that this overtime condition must be included in the 1946 agreement.
During negotiations the recently passed Hours of Work Act was raised for discussion. This act as amended at the present provincial sessions stipulates that a forty-four-hour week is statutory. Netmen ask that they be placed under the provisions of this amended act. No decision was reached on this point in view of the fact that complete information on details was not available and the question was therefore tabled, to be further discussed during Friday's negotiations.
Wage negotiations covered each of the several classifications involved in the proposed agreement, which are listed below.
Seasonal Net Boss
The union rate, which has remained unchanged since 1943, is $254.00 per month, with no control of hours. Netmen this year requested a rate of $290.00 per month, plus overtime at the straight hourly rate of $1.39. The company offered to pay $264.00, with no hourly control. This was unacceptable, since many seasonal net bosses including those at North Pacific, Margaret Bay, Western Chemical Pacific, Cassiar and Beaver, now receive far in excess of the company's proposal.
As a result of special discussion among Seasonal Net Bosses, a decision to present a counter offer of $300 per month with no control of hours was made and endorsed by the net meeting. This would still be below the rate paid at certain plants but it was felt that it would provide a basis for wiping out many of the Injustices now existing for seasonal net bosses.
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