Lobster plant workers on P.E.I. work less as catches shrink

Unlike past seasons, when P.E.I. lobster processors have been scrambling for workers, this year they are working hard to give employees enough hours, as lower lobster landings mean fewer long days at processing plants.

'In the past it used to be you'd be beating the bushes trying to find workers to get the product processed."- Dennis King, executive director, P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association

"In the past, when there would be a big hit of lobsters, there might by 75, 80-hour work weeks for people in the plants," explained Dennis King, executive director of the P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association.

"We're not seeing much of that so far this spring, it's mostly keeping around the 45 to 50-hour work week. I think a lot of employees in the seafood processing business would be used to more hours than that overall."

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Ripple effect being felt across the Island

In some parts of P.E.I., lobster catches this spring have been down as much as 40 per cent, and the ripple effect of the drop is being felt all the way to the processing plants.

"The reports that we've been hearing so far is that the overall catch on P.E.I. is off nine to ten percent," said King, who regularly visits the processing facilities across the Island.

"So each plant would have an HR staff that would be trying to work really hard to make sure everybody is satisfied and getting a full complement of hours.

"And maybe that's a new phenomenon because in the past it used to be you'd be beating the bushes trying to find workers to get the product processed."

Seasonal workers will feel the squeeze

King admits the reduction in hours, with less overtime, will affect plant employees who work seasonally, and depend on longer work weeks when lobster landings are large.

"Obviously their cheques would be smaller because they're not working as much, their insurable earnings wouldn't be as great, so if there's a down side to the catches, that's probably it there."

On the up side, says King, processors appear to have enough workers this year, after an aggressive recruitment campaign by the Seafood Processors Association, targeted at high school and post-secondary students.

There has also been an influx of workers from Newfoundland, aroundone hundred, who moved to P.E.I. after a fish plant was destroyed in Bay de Verde.

Market will set the price, say processors

The current price of lobster reported to be $6.50 for canners and $7.00 for marketsis the highest that King has seen in his three years as executive director, almost double what it was when he started.

"I think most processors would say the market will help set the price and I think when you look at a lot of the factors that are involved, the catch being off and the higher demand for lobsters, I mean the price settles in where it is and I haven't heard a lot of price talk overall," said King.

In 2015, lobster landings on P.E.I.reached 32.2 million pounds valued at $150.2 million, which were both all-time highs.

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