Tag Archives: Ryan Cleary President FISH-NL

FISH-NL membership drive. Inshore harvesters offered second chance to break free of FFAW-Unifor

The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is launching today its second membership drive for inshore harvesters to finally break free of the FFAW/Unifor.,,, “FISH-NL’s first battle is to free harvesters from the FFAW stranglehold, and after almost three long years we’re almost there,” Cleary added. “The second fight will be to end mismanagement of our fisheries, and secure harvesters and the rural communities where they live with a prosperous future as the primary beneficiary of adjacent stocks.” The membership drive starts today, and will conclude on Nov. 8th when FISH-NL will submit the membership cards as part of an application for certification to the province’s Labour Relations Board. >click to read< 11:46

FISH-NL to proceed with second application for certification; internal polling puts support at up to 66 per cent

The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) will proceed with a second application for certification — including a province-wide membership drive to begin Aug. 1st — to break inshore harvesters away from their current union. “We’re full steam ahead — shoulders to the wheel,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “Inshore harvesters have told us they want change, and we’ll continue to do everything in our power to deliver on that change.” Peter Leonard, Vice-President of FISH-NL and an inshore harvester from Southern Harbour, quoted well-known Twillingate fisherman Richard Gillett in summing up his thoughts on the current union representation. “I’d rather fight on my feet than live on my knees,” said Leonard. “We’ll keep going until we can go no more.” >click to read<10:48

FFAW-Unifor flip flops on support for Marine Protected Area off Newfoundland’s South coast after FISH-NL embarrasses union into it 

The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) says the FFAW-Unifor’s last-minute objections to proposed regulations governing a Marine Protected Area (MPA) off the province’s south coast — after initially supporting them — is an attempt to cover its gross incompetence. “The FFAW-Unifor only opened its mouth after FISH-NL embarrassed the union into it,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “FISH-NL says jump and the FFAW-Unifor asks how high. Only jumping’s not enough — the FFAW does not deserve to represent inshore harvesters.” On June 24, the federal government launched a 30-day consultation period over proposed regulations to govern the Laurentian Channel MPA, which, at more than 12,000 square kilometres, would be Canada’s largest — and the province’s third protected area. click here to read the press release 20:31