Page Two
THE FISHERMAN
~ YOUR OWN BUSINESS
iVews, Views and Reviews of the Cooperative and Credit Union Movement
000000^^ CKXOXXXXX)OOOCXXKDOCXXXXXX
Survey Under Wa; All British Columl
Co-op Marketing of Springs Boosts All Prices On River
Bob Wulff, manager of the fresh fish section of the United Fishermen's Cooperative Society recently released a full statement of production and sales of salmon through this branch of the cooperative for the 1943 salmon season. Salmon handled through cooperative marketing for the year were those received' from Fraser River fishermen only, the young movement not having as yet entered into any other areas. Cooperative marketing for Fraser River spring salmon fishermen was started with the consent of the Board of Directors of the United Fishermen's Cooperative Society in April, 1943
Production during April was extremely small, but the total amount of sales from May 1st to August 1st was valued at $26,896.93. From August 2 to September 20 sales were $13,097.68. From September 21 to December 1, when marketing ceased, value of sales was $25-, 465.40. Total sales for the season's operation were $65,460.01.
Commissions paid to fish packers for the same period were as follows: From May 1 to August 1, $2,409.84, August 2 to September 20 $1,126.35, September 20 to December 1 $2,648.44; making total commission, $6,184.63.
Expenses incurred including ice, wages, transportation, boxes, sales commissions, etc., totalled $5,433.-80.
FINAL PAYMENTS
As a result of co-operative enterprise, co-operative members received for red spring salmon an advance of 15c per lb. from April to July 10; and for white spring salmon an advance of 13c per lb. to July 1, when the embargo on white springs to the United States went into effect. The drop in quality of red springs after July 10, caused a revision of prices, and 12c per lb. was advanced on red spring—6c per lb. on white.
The final payments that have been distributed among the fishermen are 5c per lb. on Number 1, and 2c per lb. on Number 2 red springs; lc per lb. on all white spring salmon delivered to July 1. In addition, lc per lb. has been withheld which the fishermen will receive in share capital in the Cooperative. There was a further final payment of lc per lb. on all red springs delivered from July 10 to the end of the season. On sock-eye marketed through the co-operative, an advance price of 16c per lb. was paid on all deliveries. After deducting for share capital and paying expenses there was a further final payment of lc per lb. on all sockeye delivered making a total of 17c per lb. for sockeye.
The advance price paid for co-hoe and steelhead was 8c per lb. round and the report showed that a final payment of 3c per lb. was made on this variety. The cooperative also handled a considerable number of dog salmon during the fall and kept its advance price in line with the competitive market price as near as possible. Thus for a period the advance price on dog salmon to Fraser River fishermen was 30c each and on this part of the production the report shows that an additional 6c each was paid out.
From November 1 to 21 the advance price for chums was 35c each and on this production an additional 4c each was paid to the fishermen. From November 21
to December 1, because of uncertain conditions, the advance price dropped to 30c each, but due to freezer activity, the cooperative was able to pay an additional 12c each for fish delivered during this period.
The report issued by Manager Wulff illustrates the advantages to be derived from co-operative effort. As a result there is a growing desire among Fraser River gillnetters to broaden the scope of the movement. This question will be discussed during the winter months so that upon the basis of the experience gained in the first year of co-operative marketing of salmon we may continue our activities in this field and expand our production during 1944.
A noticeable feature of the season was that immediately co-operative marketing entered the picture, company prices were based upon the estimated pay-off that would be made by the co-operative. Canners on the Fraser River started the season by paying 15c a lb. for red spring and 10c per lb. for whites, but when the co-operative entered the field the canners were forced to increase their price to 20c per lb. for red springs and furthermore made this increase retroactive to the beginning of the season. It can be readily seen, therefore, that given a sufficient production at its command the co-operative movement can become the real price setting factor for salmon in a given locality, thereby not only bringing benefits to its members but to all fishermen engaged in the particular area.
Kyuquot Trollers All Set to Go
According to information released by Andy Carr, manager of the Kyuquot Trollers Cooperative Association, the association's packer "Co-operator No. 2 "which has been up for sale, was purchased recently by the B.C. Packers. Work has already started on the building of a new seiner type packer to replace "Co-operator No. 2". Repairs to "Co-operator No. 1" another of the Association's boats are well under way, and by the end of January repairs should be completed.
The Kyuquot Trollers Association are rapidly closing last season's operations, the association books are entered up to date, and members who have not already done so are urged to turn in their account books to the secretary, along with any outstanding store receipts to be recorded up to date. Plans are well in hand for this year's operations. Camps from Refuge Cove south were opened during the first week in January.
Working Together
By G. T. GREENWELL (Extension Department, University of British Columbia)
Can You Name This Page ?
$5.00 Prize Offered
In the last issue we commenced the regular publication of a page of cooperative news and views, and we would welcome the suggestions of our readers before adopting a permanent name for this page.
Until we receive a better suggestion from our readers we are calling this page "Your Own Business." The cooperatives are the fishermen's own business and we consider that in this case the old saying "mind your own business" is very appropriate.
We have no doubt that our readers putting their heads together can find a better permanent name for this page. To stimulate the imagination we offer a prize of $5.00 cash to whoever will send in a name for the page that meets with the approval of the Editorial Board. The rules for this contest are very simple.
1. Any contestant may send in any number of suggested names.
2. The winner will be the contestant who sends in the name selected by the judges.
3. If the name selected is sent in by more than one contestant the prize will be shared.
4. The judges of the best name will be G. T. Greenwell, of the U.B.C. Extension Department, C. D. Clarke, and L. H. C. Phillips of the Cooperative Wholesale Society of B.C.
5. No prize will be awarded unless the name sent in is judged worthy to replace the present name of this page.
6. This contest is open for the month of January and all entries must bear postmark not later than January 31st, 1944.
TRADE UNIONS AND CO-OPS
"Why Trade Unionists Should Be Cooperators" is the title of a pamphlet by Fred Bramley, one-time general secretary of the Trade Union Congress of Great Britain and published by the Cooperative Union Ltd. The pamphlet discusses the relation of the cooperative movement to the efforts of trade unionists to secure a better standard of living for their members. Whilst readers may not agree with all Mr. Bramley's statements and arguments this pamphlet provides an interesting contribution to a topic that merits much more discussion and consideration than it has hitherto received.
Mr. Bramley declares that the active trade unionist asked to give the reason for his adherence would answer, "to protect myself against exploitation," but points out that a trade union, while striving to secure higher wages, better working conditions and protection against exploitation, does not assure that the purchasing power of the workers' wages will necessarily be increased. Purchasing power does not depend upon the money values of wages, but upon the relation existing between this money value and the price of commodities.
In discussing profits declared by six major companies in Great Britain from the years 1937 to 1939, the pamphlet states that those companies declaring the largest profits were not business organizations selling high-priced luxuries to the few, but powerful monopolies providing necessities to the mass of the common people. Bramley concludes from this, "we spend monopolies into a state of prosperity and then denounce them in our resolutions of protest."
In his opinion the way to curb the power of monopolies is through the medium of cooperative organization. The action of Trade Union Congresses in Great Britain over a period of 50 years of passing resolutions in support of the cooperative movement is a recognition of this fact, but passage of resolutions is not enough. The active support and patronage of all trade unionists is essential, he declares, to enable the cooperative movement to effectively curb the power of monopoly.
But Bramley urges trade union members to support the co-op movement not only because they offer a means to greater economic security. He declares flatly that "every extension of cooperative production and distribution expands the field of employment for all sections of the wage-earners, under guaranteed trade union conditions." The total number of workers employed by the cooperative movement in Great Britain in 1938 was 346,761. The majority of the workers were organized in their trade unions, working under union agreements, and receiving standard trade union rates of pay. At the same time these employees were in less danger of immediate dismissal during periods of depression and subject in every respect to more humane consideration generally than those employed by private enterprise. Through membership in the co-op the employees had a voice in formulating the policy of the organization, and in many co-op businesses exercised a degree of direction in management. The co-ops that were unable to grant these greater privileges were those competing with "sweatshop" industry. By patronizing the low-priced shoddy products of sweat-shop establishments, the trade unionist, as a consumer, was prolonging the existence of such concerns, Bramley insists.
He emphasizes, too, that the co-ops offer to their employees and to workers in general, the opportunity of exercising a voice in management, of promotion to positions of responsibility in the direction of the business, and of understanding managerial and supervisory problems. Through educational programs offered, through co-op study groups the common people are given an opportunity of improving their knowledge of current affairs, economics and social problems. This special education is open not only to the young, but to the middle-aged and those advanced in years. The Women's Cooperative Guilds in Great Britain have provided a magnificent training ground in citizenship for the women, a training that was reflected in the activities of women members of the co-op guilds in rural, urban, district and town councils.
These, and many other interesting questions are raised by Mr. Bramley in his discussion. The reader may not concur with all points advanced by the author, but the conclusion he reaches, that the organized trade union movement should actively support and work hand in hand with the cooperative movement is indisputable. In the words of this pamphlet, "the trade unionist who refuses to use this power enters the conflict against oppression with one arm tied helpless behind his back."
RUPERT CO-OP MEMBERS GET CHRISTMAS ISSUE
Twelve hundred members of the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Cooperative Association received (he special Prince Rupert edition of the Christmas issue of The Fisherman.
The co-op board of directors sent out a copy to each member together with a mimeographed letter outlining the recommendations of the recent conference of fishermen's cooperatives in British Columbia.
A motion to ratify the formation of the Fishermen's Cooperative Federation and to endorse The Fisherman as the official medium of education and publicity for the Federation will be placed before the next general meeting of the members of the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Cooperative Association.
FISHERMEN ...
What does good water mean to you? The recent government laboratory test indicates that the water from our artesian, well which supplies the Sointula oil station is entirely free from all impurities. Drop in at Sointula and fill your tank with water that is REALLY PURE.
And don't forget that your dollars go further when you make your purchases at a "Co-op."
Sointula Co-operative Store Association
Sointula, B.C. General Imperial OU
Merchandise Agents
By C. D. CLARKE
Co-operation in British Columbia got under way 46 years ago when the first cooperative was incorporated. There may have been cooperatives formed before that, but the date of the first incorporation was January 11, 1897.
In this province as elsewhere, cooperation has had an up and down history with emphasis on the "up", for the movement has been continually on the increase. There have been failures, too many of them, but there have also been successes which have given confidence and inspiration to all co-operators.
It is hoped to have a survey made of the past 46 years to trace as well as possible the record of cooperation in B.C. to discover the causes of failures where these have occurred. Such a survey was carried out in Saskatchewan and the report is not only enlightenig but helpful to people in the movement. At present there is no agency in B.C. which can give a picture of the present status of the movement in this province.
The Educational Department of the Co-operative Wholesale Society is endeavoring to gather data from cooperatives but information obtained to date is very incomplete. A listing of cooperatives in October showed 79 cooperatives classified as follows:
Producer Cooperatives:
Fruit Creamery Fish ......
Milk
Cheese
Tobacco
Vegetable
Seed
Egg .......
Clam
.............._______....... 23
________________________ 5
_____________ 3
........._________________ 1
___'.______ 1
_________ 1
_____________ 1
______________ 2
________________________ 1
......_...........________ 1
Fibre Flax........... ...............—.. 1
Consumer Cooperatives
Fisherman-
The Co-ops Are Your Own Business—
Mind Your Own Business!
General Stores ___________
Feed _______......_________________
Fuel ..........._.....--.......
Cold Storage Locker
Others
40
19 9 3 1
32
Transportation ------- 4
Boarding Houses .._............... 1
Educational . ................—..... 2
Recently the B.C. Livestock Pro-
ducers ( been inc ing. Lr not onl> province in the atives hi and som
The ii, true pic prise in incomph of the ] also con; example ermen's kets fish and opei the stor the sale; one of tl sumer Kyuquot sociation business Exchang ing co-c sumer s that mos atives h in varyi: coops li: any con: by prod are also which p for men market i
While outline this pro that thi larger that wh< erative and wh< ations A. for a S a surve then be plete p British
Gue$ For
The ar Fraser ! will be ! at the 1 ville Str
Guest Switzer, credit u: presiden League, director sale Soc of the E versity (
o To All Our Fishermen Friends . .
Best Wishes fo
*
In which the heart of Christmas, which is throughout the year as you support your and your credit union.
Do The Job With Both I
RONNIE
Stationery—Magazines—Music "P
ALERT BAY
Fishermen ! . ..
When in Northern B.C. waters call a
Prince Rupert Fi; Co-op As*
"Everything for the Fish Phone 264 — Box 264 PR
PACIFIC Occ
The only place that "Pacific" alw and peaceful" is in the dictionary!
This chunk of water out in a man . . . and a ru engine in his boat—like i
CANADIAN Al DIESEL ENGINES I
1859 West George
MArine 8351