Snow crab harvesters 'at wits' end' during protest outside union building

Crab fisherman sounds off on frustration with FFAW

1 year ago

Duration 2:03

Jason Sullivan addresses a crowd of nearly 100 protesters outside the Fish, Food & Allied Workers building on Thursday.

Snow crab harvesters say their patience with the Fish, Food &Allied Workers union has run thin, and they made their voices heard at a protest outside its St. John's office Thursday.

Around 100 protesters,tired of a lack of updates from the union,stood in the office's parking lot to seek response from leadership.

"We got no leadership, really. We don't know what's going on," Tors Cove fisherman Keith Colbert said.

"We get a scattered email after we get the news from somewhere else. So, you know, why aren't we kept in the flow of things? Everyone is over frustrated."

Alex Young, a snow crab harvester from St. Bride's, said his crew is tired of waiting on the dock to fish. He has a 27,000-kilogram quota for the season, isrunning out of time to catch it, and believes negotiations between the union and the Association of Seafood Producers areat an impasse.

"We feel like we're kind of spinning out a bit here. You know, not sure that the right issues are really being tackled, and we want to get our point across a bit more firmly," he said.

"Some people are getting fed up with it, and understandably so. Plantworkers especially are really at their wits' end."

Tensions between harvesters have only increased in the past week, as some have decided to break rank by untying their boats to fish for crab.

Colbert says Thursday's protest is the final straw for many andthe time of solidarity could soon be over.

"When you get a couple of cracks, the whole wall is going to fall," he said.

Harvesters call for new leadership,minister to resign

When it was clear that FFAW leadership wasn't going to make an appearance at the protest, fisherman Jason Sullivan addressed the crowd.

"They're the biggest bunch of cowards you ever see in your life. They won't come and tell us what's going on. They're gonna say, 'Sit tight and keep waiting and keep waiting.'Waiting for what?" Sullivan said.

"It just goes to show, you know, the complete lack of ability to negotiate on the FFAW's behalf. I mean I wouldn't let them negotiate my phone bill."

Sullivan also called FFAWpresident Greg Pretty a "nuisance," while others called for a leadership election to be held. Sullivan ran in the union's leadership election earlier this year against Prettybut was disqualified from the race.

Harvesters moved the protest to the office of Fisheries Minister Derrick Bragg, who was in his home district ofFogo Island-Cape Freels, but was reached by phone by fisherman Ronnie Bidgood.

WATCH|See more of Ronnie Bidgood's conversation with Derrick Bragg:

FFAW on Line 1

1 year ago

Duration 3:00

Angry Fish, Food & Allied Workers union members urge Fisheries Minister Derrick Bragg to resolve the weeks-long snow crab standoff

Amid shouts from protesters, the minister shed some light on Tuesday's meetings between the FFAW, ASP and the province.

"We were within five cents at one point of making the deal, but nobody [would] come beyond that. I don't know what else you can expect from us," Bragg said over speakerphone.

Bidgood was quick to respond, which prompted loud cheers from the audience of protesters.

"If you don't know what to expect, and you're put in to that portfolio of the provincial ministerof fisheries, you should resign," Bidgood said.

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