The snow crab quota in Newfoundland and Labrador is over half caught just over a month into the season, despite potential strikes looming at some processing plants.
As of 29 May, fishermen in the province have caught 29,201 metric tons (MT) of snow crab, surpassing half of the 57,586 MT quota. The season, which started on 6 April, experienced a brief delay due to protests over pricing disagreements between the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Union, representing harvesters and processing plant workers, and the Association of Seafood Producers, representing processing companies.
This pricing dispute was resolved on 14 April, much earlier compared to 2023 when a similar conflict led to a six-week standoff and multiple extensions of the snow crab season by Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans to ensure the quota was met.
While fishermen are actively catching snow crab, the processing sector now faces its own challenges. The FFAW announced on 15 May that contract negotiations have stalled with several companies, including Beothic Fish Processors Limited (375 employees), Ocean Choice International in Bonavista and Triton (380 and 120 employees, respectively), and the Barry Group in Witless Bay (120 employees). These plants could potentially go on strike.
“Companies have record profits, while employees work back-breaking, hard labor every fishing season, often six days a week for 10 to 12 hours per day,” said FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty. "This is not easy work, and if companies want to retain this important workforce, they need to pay them a living wage.”
On 20 May, the FFAW announced that workers at the Beothic plant voted 97 percent in favor of a strike mandate if a deal was not reached, with the strike set to begin on 27 May. However, a tentative deal was reached on that date, with 66 percent of members voting in favor of a new agreement that includes an 11.5 percent wage increase over three years, a signing bonus, and improved contract language.
The FFAW has not provided updates on the remaining plants, leaving the potential for 620 workers to soon be in a position to vote on a strike.
Source: Chris Chase (May 30, 2024). Newfoundland snow crab quota over half caught as some processing plants face potential worker strikes. Seafoodsource. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/newfoundland-snow-crab-quota-over-half-caught-as-some-processing-plants-face-potential-worker-strikes
