FISH-NL releases correspondence in response to its call for immediate vote for inshore harvesters to decide their union fate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, Aug. 23rd, 2017
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) was forwarded correspondence today in response to its Aug. 15th letter asking the Labour Relations Board to proceed immediately with a vote of inshore harvesters to decide which union they want to represent them.
The correspondence is from the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP), and the FFAW-Unifor.
FISH-NL’s original letter (available at http://www.fish-nl.ca/vote) was written to David Conway, the new Chair of the Labour Relations Board, but prior to delivering it, Glenn Branton, the Board’s CEO, gave the other affected parties (ASP and FFAW-Unifor) an opportunity to respond.
“FISH-NL believes in complete transparency,” said Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “In that light, both letters are attached.”
On March 10th, the Labour Relations Board issued an order for ASP to provide its list of commercial inshore harvesters “on whose behalf members of ASP have collected and remitted FFAW union dues during the period Jan. 1, 2015-December, 30, 2016.”
In his letter, Derek Butler, ASP’s executive director, reiterated its position that his association possesses no such list.
The FFAW-Unifor, for its part, “denies the spurious and malicious comments made by FISH-NL, and objects to the placing of the document before the Board.”
The Board has indicated that all correspondence will be shared with each individual party and “placed before the Board for consideration.
Contact: Ryan Cleary 682 4862
