Processing Companies Threaten Retaliation Against Workers Engaged in Union Activities

In a letter sent yesterday addressed to FFAW-Unifor leadership, the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) is demanding a list of names of all union members who participated in demonstrations against the processing of snow crab from outside the province earlier this week. FFAW will not be providing ASP with the names or contact information of any of its members.

ASP and its member processing companies have undermined the collective bargaining process at every opportunity this year. Rather than facilitating labour peace, processing companies have pushed for maximum agitation. The decision to import crab at a critical point in collective bargaining and under the current circumstances was highly irresponsible and bound to illicit a response from fish harvesters and plant workers who have been frustrated with ASP’s refusal to engage in price negotiations or respond to health and safety concerns raised by the union.

ASP and its members, Ocean Choice International and Royal Greenland, have attempted to use the COVID-19 crisis as means to exploit workers, suppress fish prices and engage in union busting while pocketing generous subsidies from the federal government. FFAW-Unifor will not stand for this behaviour. Working people in this province, especially those in the fishing industry, deserve a voice and a say when it comes to occupational health and safety and fair wages. Our union will continue to fight back against the shameful tactics used by these companies to hurt workers and their families.