THE FISHERMAN, DECEMBER 16, 1996
Fishing industry jobs program gets El funds
Gov't signs contract with UFAWU to deliver projects in communities
A bureaucratic wall that for weeks had blocked assistance programs for the fishing industry suddenly came down last month, opening the door to federally-funded jobs and training projects for fishermen and industiy workers.
"We've got an agreement and we're going to be moving ahead on setting up projects," said UFAWU-CAW president John Radosevic after emerging from a meeting with representatives of Human Resources Development Canada Nov. 21.
A delivery service contract to co-ordinate the program—officially called the Fishing Industry Employment Development Program— has now been signed between HRDC and the UFAWU. It will be carried out in partnership with the Native Brotherhood of B.C.
A separate delivery service contract has also been signed between HRDC and the Local 17 of the UFAWU-CAW on northern Vancouver Island where the program is known as the North Island Fisheries Initiative. Covering communities from Oyster Bay north, including Alert Bay and Sointula, it will provide an initial $4.2 million in federal funds to cover training and work experience over a 16-month period, according to HRDC Minister Pierre Pettigrew.
Both programs will take the money for projects from the Employment Insurance fund which will kick in with paycheques at the EI maximum rate—$413 a week—for those working on approved projects. The income will
not be insurable towards an EI claim, however.
"We've got a few projects slated and we're working on many more," said Frank Cox who is heading up the program together with Marcel Lefebvre, a CAW administrative assistant from Toronto. Several others are working as project coordinators, including Bruce Logan, Burma Lockett, Paul Kandt and Greg Kelly as well as others who headed up projects last year.
Cox emphasized that this year's program, unlike last year's, would cover a longer period of time and participants could be involved in training and work experience for a year or more.
The purpose, he said is to develop a long-term means of supplementing income for fishing industry workers, to generate some economic activity in coastal communities and to provide training for industry workers.
"Some will be union projects, some will be joint UFAWU-Broth-erhood projects, some will be carried out by the Brotherhood alone," he said. "We'll also be looking at community advisory boards to help develop project ideas and get the program underway."
To qualify, participants must have an attachment to the fishing industry and must have been on an unemployment insurance claim in the last three years.
Because of back-to-back poor seasons in both the fishing and shore sectors, there are some people who have been unable to qualify for unemployment insurance in the last three years and fall outside
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the program. "We're working on qualifying those people as well," he said, adding that HRDC has indicated that some money may be available from the Consolidated Revenue Fund that financed last year's projects. Anyone working on those projects would be eligible only for $300 a week, although it would be insurable income.
"There should be some project for almost everybody who needs it," Cox said.
He said that three or four EI-funded projects have been approved so far and "we're hoping to get some people on the job and getting a pay-cheque before Christmas."
Darrell Enger, one of the coordinators on the North Island, said that there are already projects underway on the north Island
Co-ordinators will be going through the hundreds of names of people who registered over the last few months. "If anyone hasn't registered yet, they should do it now," Cox said. People can also call the jobs development office in Vancouver at (604) 254-8845 or in Campbell River at (250) 287-8621.
To our many fishermen friends who offered us their patronage in 1996. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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FOR EXPERIENCED FISHING INDUSTRY WORKERS ONLY!
Please complete and return this form if you are a shoreworker, fisherman of tenderman who because of this season's events, would like to register with the UFAWU so we will be able to contact you for any Employment Projects that may become available.
Name
Address
City.
Postal Code:
Phone:
Are you currently eligible for Ul benefits? _
Area you a: Gillnetter Troller Seiner □
Shoreworker Tenderman EH Other Q
Date of Birth: _ Sex: Male D Female
Did you participate in last year's special works program? Yes □ No □
If Yes, which project _
Are you a Union member? Yes □ No □
Would you take training if available? Yes □ No □
Complete and return this form to: UNITED FISHERMEN AND ALLIED WORKERS' UNION 160,111 Victoria Drive Vancouver, B.C. V5L 4C4 Phone: 255-1336 Fax: 255-3162