FFAW Meets with Ministers Dempster and Howell on Royal Greenland Intimidation Tactics

March 27, 2025

Today, FFAW-Unifor met with provincial Minister of Labour, Lisa Dempster, and Minister Krista Lynn Howell, who is the MHA for St. Barbe to L’Anse aux Meadows. Joining Minister Dempster and Minister Howell were the Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister for Labour. Representing the Union were James Farrell, Solicitor and Director of the Industrial/Retail/Offshore Sector, Courtney Glode, Director of Public Affairs, and Trudy Byrne, the local union chair.

The meeting focused on the ongoing issues facing workers at the fish processing plant in St. Anthony, where Royal Greenland is using intimidation tactics during labour negotiations. The Union raised concerns about the company’s refusal to bargain in good faith, as well as the plant manager’s long and documented history of employee mistreatment, which has left workers in a vulnerable position. FFAW has asked the provincial government to assist where they are able, including providing additional conciliation support and an expedited hearing before the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Relations Board. The complaint, officially filed this afternoon, accuses Royal Greenland of illegal threats and a failure to bargain in good faith, among other issues.

Dempster and Howell both agreed that employees deserve to be treated with respect and in accordance with our province’s regulations. The provincial government committed to increasing conciliation support in an effort to bring Royal Greenland back to the negotiating table, signaling a push for fair treatment and better working conditions for those in the region’s vital fishing industry.

It has been a full week since the Company chained the gate and erected “closed for business” signs. Royal Greenland/Quin-Sea have yet to explain why or for how long.