Union bargaining conferences set
In 1992 the three year salmon contract negotiated by all sections in 1989 will come to an end and the UFAWU will be facing tough negotiations with the companies.
The companies have come to the union twice in 1991 saying they intend to reduce prices and seek concessions in the union agreement. There may very well be attacks on Union prices and contracts in 1992.
The UFAWU says fishermen are working for minimum fish prices now and cannot afford to fish for less. Shoreworkers have been proven to be well worth the wages they earn. All UFAWU members must be prepared to defend their rights in 1992.
Meetings in all sections are being held on bargaining strategy for 1992:
• Shore Wage and Bargaining Conference — Nov. 23 and 24
• Health and Safety Conference — Dec. 2 and 3
• Gillnet Conference — Dec. 4
• Seine Conference — Dec. 6
• Tendermen Conference — Dec. 10
• Longline Committee — Dec. 11
• Trawl Conference — Dec. 12
• Herring Price Conference — Jan. 9
All meetings will be held at the Maritime Labour Centre, 111 Victoria Drive in Vancouver.
Trawl conference discusses poor season, vessel quotas
By MARK WARRIOR
Trawl Organizer
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT year in 1991 for trawl fishermen. As The Fisherman went to press, many boats were already tied up for the year and many more were planning an early end to the season.
With the annual quotas all but used up by the beginning of November, the fleet has no choice but to quit fishing well ahead of its usual beginning of December date.
Lost fishing time always means lost earning to fishermen. But this year the problem has been further compounded by price cuts. Fish caught in Canadian waters by Canadian boats have either been delivered in the U.S. or trucked across the line and then used by the companies to undermine prices in this country.
It seems obvious that the
current Tory government is not about to take any action on these problems. They showed their complete lack of interest in even the physical safety of trawlers when they decided to allow U.S. nuclear submarines through Dixon Entrance.
On the other hand, DFO is continuing to push for individual transferable quotas (ITQs)on groundfish. The government no doubt expects that halving the fleet will halve the risk of an accident.
Privately owned transferable quotas remain the biggest threat to the livelihoods of trawl crews. If DFO succeeds in introducing them, there is no doubt that a great number of jobs will be lost. Going by the experience of black cod fishermen, a drop in crew shares can also be expected. So far vessel owners have been resisting the idea. But in order to make it more attrac-
Putin at Petro-Canada
for your nautical needs
in marine fuels, lubricants, service and friendly local information.
• 24 facilities to serve you • 24-hour emergency phone during the boating season
Location
Phone
Alert Bay 974-5411
Bella Bella 957-2440
Browns Bay (Seymour Narrows) 286-3135
Cortes Island, Manson's Landing 935-6361
Cracroft Island, Lagoon Cove Radio
Gilford Island, Echo Bay Radio
Gold River 283-2514
Masset 626-3328
Nanaimo Marine 754-7828
Port Alberni, 4570 Glenwood Dr. 723-9494
Port Alberni, Somass River 723-8022
Port Hardy, Bear Cove 949-9988
Powell River Beach Gardens Marina 485-6267
Prince Rupert, Cow Bay 624-4106 •
Prince Rupert, Fairview 624-6666 •
Quathiaski Cove 285-3212 •
Ragged Islands, North of Lund** 334-7117 •
Saltspring Island, Ganges 537-5331 •
Sea Island, N. Arm Fraser River 276-2164 •
Steveston 277-7744 •
Sydney, Tsehum Harbour 656-1138 •
Tahsis 934-6462
Ucluelet 726-4262 •
Vancouver, Coal Harbour 681-6020 •
□□ □□ □□ □□ □□ □□ □□ □□ □□ ■■ □c □c □c □c □c
KX □C □C □C
□c □c □c □c
'Convenient Access "Temporarily Closed
PEIROCANAM®
Committed to Canadians
® Marque de commerce de Petro-Canada - Trademark
(91.09)
A
10 • THE FISHERMAN / NOVEMBER 18, 1991
tive to them, DFO has even hinted at a buyback scheme. They have no money for more research into groundfish or for better enforcement, but if it will sell ITQs on groundfish, they can find money for a buyback.
Clearly trawl fishermen have some serious problems to deal with. The UFAWU annual Trawl Conference to be held at 10:00 a.m. on December 12 at the Maritime Labour Centre will be dealing with these issues. It is a crucial conference if trawl fishermen are to protect their future in the industry. All trawlers are urged to attend.
• Mark Warrior is the UFAWU trawl organizer.
No funds for debris trap
Federal Environment Minister Jean Charest says keeping logs and other debris out of the Fraser River is not his responsibility. In response to a letter from UFAWU Local 5, Charest says debris trap funding will not be part of his multi-million dollar Green Plan Fraser River clean up. Instead, he has forwarded the issue to fisheries minister John Crosbie.
"It's just more passing the buck," says Local 5 president Paul Kandt. "$50,000 is nothing to the federal government when they are spending millions of dollars on glossy advertising to pretend they're doing something." .
The government spent $12.5 million on ads and public relations consultants to launch their environmental strategy, the Green Plan.
OBITUARY
Christine Hollander
Shoreworker Christine Ann Hollander lost her life in a car accident on Oct. 17 while travelling in Hungary. She was 40 years old.
A warehouseperson and lineworker at Versacold, she had been working in the industry since 1989 and had been a union member since then. She was a shop steward at Versacold.
She had worked on the Emergency Response Fisheries (ERF) program last year and had recently taken a strong interest in working on union committees.
"She was always there when people needed her," said Cheryl Bennet, her sister-in law and co-worker at the Co-op ."She was a warm and open personality. She will be missed by everybody."
She is survived by her husband Peter and children Patricia, Peggy, Leo, Edmond and Alexander.
Hollander was buried in Nelson, and a memorial for those of her friends who couldn't attend was held in Vancouver Nov. 2.
