WCSPC workers win major improvements in first contract
Workers at the West Coast Seafood Producers Co-op in Ucluelet have won a first contract which will improve conditions and wages in the plant.
The workers voted to join the union in November 1985 after a three week organizing campaign was carried out in Ucluelet.
The new contract will give the workers with more than 1,000 hours the industry rate, provide all workers with the welfare plan and provide union seniority and call-out provisions.
Starting rates at the plant, which has faced a difficult financial situation for several years, will be lower than those enjoyed by other union plants.
However, at the end of two years, the plant will automatically raise all rates which are below the industry rates to the industry rates.
"This contract gives the company a chance to get on its financial feet and prove they can make it in this industry," said UFAWU business agent John Radosevic. "After that they will be on the same footing as the rest of the industry."
The contract expires on April 15, 1988.
Radosevic said the company and the union now must work together to implement the agreement and make it work in the plant.
"The signing of this agreement spells the end of arbitrary management actions and means workers have the right in law to be treated with respect," he said.
The original drive to organize the plant came from workers who had grown tired of being treated unfairly by the company.
"We have come through the first two major hurdles," said Radosevic. "Workers won the certification vote and now they have won a first contract."
As a separate part of the agreement, the company will be allowed to process certain secondary species such as hake and dogfish at rates below the industry average.
During negotiations the company, which is still under receivership, argued that unless other species besides salmon were processed, the plant would not be financially viable.
CR local seeking funds for stock rebuilding plan
UFAWU local 17 in Campbell River is sponsoring a unique project which will give fishermen work in the off-season and help rebuild the salmon stocks.
The local is sponsoring a grant which will see five seine boats work on stream surveys, fish counts and to help stop poaching in isolated parts of Areas 11, 12, and 13.
Work will get underway in September in Bute Inlet, Lough-
borough Inlet, Knight Inlet, Thompson Bond Sound and Seymour Belize Inlet.
The grant has been approved in principle and is waiting only for a letter of intent from Campbell River DFO supervisor Norm Lemmen before final approval.
Part of the program involves the DFO putting in $18,000.
Skippers will receive $350 per week plus boat expenses and deckhands will be paid $250 per week.
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Contracts talks became bogged down when the company refused to honor an offer made to the negotiators because it was not ratified immediately.
Two weeks later the company agreed to the same offer it removed from the table.
Compared to industry contracts, this contract was negotiated very quickly and could have been concluded 10 days earlier if the company was in a hurry.
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