The United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union was established in 1945 in British Columbia through the merger of the United Fishermen's Federal Union and the Fish, Cannery and Reduction Plant and Allied Workers Union. It represents fishermen, shoreworkers, and workers in fish processing and transport, and fought for improved wages and working conditions in the industry as well as the imposition of fishing quotas and licensing requirements.George North, A Ripple, A Wave: The Story of Union Organization in the B.C. Fishing Industry (Vancouver, BC: Fisherman Publishing Society, 1974). The union survived raiding wars with the British Columbia Gillnetters Association in 1952 and the Seafarers' International Union in 1953. Suspected of being under communist influence, it was suspended by the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada in 1953 and refused admittance to the Canadian Labour Congress until 1972. For example, a longtime president of the UFAWU, Homer Stevens, ran as the Communist Party candidate in the Burnaby-Richmond-Delta riding in the 1970s.Stephen Hume, "'He was the best of who we are': Tribute Sunday to gritty labour leader Homer Stevens," Vancouver Sun, 19 October 2002. The union also had a section in Nova Scotia.Inventory of UFAWU records in the University of British Columbia Library's Special Collections, retrieved February 19, 2008 The UFAWU joined the Canadian Auto Workers in 1996.Canadian Auto Workers,What we do: Chapter 1 , retrieved February 19, 2008 The UFAWU was an integral part of the working class fight from 1945 to 1967 and brought fishermen, shoreworkers and tendermen together to fight for one cause during this era which made helped make significant progress on equality within the workplace.
Structure Foundations
A democratic system that elected its representatives. At formation had 3000 fishermen and 2000 shoremen. This increased to 8000 total in 1950 but has dropped ever since. Fishermen, shoreworkers and tendermen must all sign master agreements separately but in the same time frame. Participation from all within the union was always encouraged and was important to the functioning of the union as a result of its small money reserves.
Key Policy
Racism and sexism was not tolerated and was combated fully from 1950 forward. Fishermen, shoreworkers and tendermen must all agree on agreements signed with companies or the government or the change would not be made. If an agreement could not be reached, each trade was then able to make an agreement separately. Contracts were negotiated by senior administrative officers and a committee of local representatives that would change each year based on location and issue. Represented boats with less than two crew members only.
Administration and their duties President and vice president were unpaid positions. The president was mainly a figurehead however the vice president focused mostly on administrative issues. Secretary treasurer and business agent were the only paid positions and did the work of daily administration, advertising and membership which were integral to the negotiations of master agreements. Local representatives volunteered their time to the union and represented their areas desires and advocated for them at meetings throughout the year. Majority of time spent by administration was used to sign new members up and advertise.
Key Events Timeline
1945
Women and Chinese represented in policy.
1946
UFAWU welcomed to negotiate halibut fishing regulations. Homer Stevens becomes a union organizer. Represented on the fish price control board of Canada. Began allocating fish resources and lobbied the government to become involved.
1948
Homer Stevens elected secretary treasurer. Buck Suzuki, a well known Japanese fishermen becomes an executive to show UFAWU support of the return of Japanese to the fishing industry. Became Affiliated with the Japanese Citizens Association. Herring canning came to an end and herring reduction became more important.
1950
Began fighting the government to allow fishermen to be represented within the labour code of Canada. Demonstration in Victoria harbour. Campaign on racial inequality begins.
1951
Female shoreworkers first pay increase.
1952
The start of annual wage conferences.
1953
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation decides to not affiliate itself with the UFAWU over communism concerns. Affiliated with The Communist Party of Canada. Barred from the Trade and Labour congress from 1953 to 1973 over communist leadership and affiliation.
1954
Mickey Beagle is the first woman elected to office.
1956
Won unemployment insurance for fishermen. Verna Parkins is elected as the first female president of the Prince Rupert UFAWU local.
1957
Welfare plan available to all members.Box 7C From Managers House Downstairs SunnySide, Group Life Insurance, 1960, North Pacific Cannery Archives, Port Edward, B.C.
1959
Official policy that all three trades represented under the UFAWU must sign all agreements within the same time frame. Won reduction of monthly work hours to 40 hours a week as well as the introduction of overtime pay of shoreworkers. The introduction of brine systems and boats with refrigeration make tendermen almost obsolete.
1967
UFAWU, Prince Rupert Fishermen's Co-op strike.
Strikes Introduction
Striking was a key way that UFAWU brought policy changes to its agreements between the government and various canning companies and their working class members. At its creation in 1945 UFAWU conducted strikes almost every year over the next two decades. Striking was common in the fishing industry prior to the 20th century with fishermen being some of the most militant labourers. After the UFAWU formed, fishermen and tendermen were much more active in trying to change policy than shoreworkers. Shoreworkers often backed fishermen during their strikes prior to 1950 without their own agenda. After 1949, shoreworkers began to strike for themselves, expecting fishermen to back them. The number of strikes the UFAWU took part in during over three decades is extremely high and the reasons vary seasonally. Key issues were often wage increases, seniority rights, benefits, human rights that included combating racism and sexism as well as an attempt to slow the wage gap between the seasonal and permanent workforce.
Notable Strikes
1946
The net menders of UFAWU canneries held a 29-day strike from May to July because of the pay difference between their trade and other shoreworkers. They also wished to shorten their work week to 40 hours. Although all the concessions they won are unclear, they signed a contract that included an increase in pay. This is significant because it was the first time the UFAWU signed a contract with female shore shoreworkers, which would soon become an entrenched policy.
1947
1947 was the first large strike after the formation of UFAWU. There was concern over fish prices across the entire industry as the prices were driven down but high demand as work was steadily increasing. This angered seasoned fishermen and the union voted for an industry wide strike. The strike was complicated when the trawling industry decided to strike before others which complicated things as they also wanted to end their strike early. The poor organization of this strike resulted in no gains in any area of the industry the UFAWU represented.
1952
1952s salmon strike is remembered as a key break in the relationship between The Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and UFAWU. When salmon prices were down at the opening of the 1952 season the UFAWU called for an industry wide strike. Prior to this the NBBC had usually picketed along with the UFAWU, this year however it saw resistance within its membership. The NBBC didn't have a strike mandate entrenched within its union policy and thus could not force its members to strike alongside the UFAWU. The UFAWU wanted to strike a deal with all workers during negotiations, including the Brotherhood, however the Brotherhood decided to negotiate its own negotiations without letting the UFAWU or its membership below senior coordinators know about its plan. Along with the NBBC and UFAWU, the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Co-op also decided not to respect picket lines for the first time and continued this right into 1967. In the end the NBBC lost membership due to its poor transparency and the UFAWU cut ties with them until 1953. In the end no new contracts were won between either unions or the co-op in 1952. The UFAWU used this to attempt to obtain cooperation in later years.
1963
A strike year that tested both the union's democratic principles as well as their unity. The 1963 fishing season started off with massive price cuts to all areas of the industry. The most affected were salmon seiners, this caused disunity because the gillnetters did not initially want to lose their season to a strike. Although the Gill-net fishermen didn't want to strike, the strike vote ended unanimous and they worked with their fellow fishermen. In an unusual event the companies did not counter offer in an attempt to stop the strike, they seemed to be wearing under the constant striking of the past 20 years and attempted to put their foot down. The initial problem faced by the UFAWU was deciding when the strike would start officially, they were attempting to make sure the loss was slightly equal so no industry felt it the hardest. Inevitably the seiners still took the brunt of the losses. A few days before the strike many companies in the stikine decided to hire workers for only one or two days in an attempt to disturb the strike vote, this did nothing and only disrupted the workers.
A few days into the strike the majority of companies across the province said they would return sockeye prices to the previous year's standards, however they were not willing to increase any other fish prices. This created a problem because if they wanted to accept this offer they would need 3/4s of the entire unions agreeance. In the middle of fishing season however this is quite difficult, they took a vote with a very low number of members present but immediately regretted it as their membership was concerned with the union forgetting its democratic principles by, by- passing the entire body of membership to get a quick vote. UFAWU President, Homer Stevens quickly mitigated the situation and decided to try to get the entire union together again and take a vote on the matter to restore confidence.
In the end the shoreworkers and tendermen were able to make new master agreements, however after a few weeks they decided to reject these to support their fishermen allies.Box 5A Ms5, Tendermens Agreement Accounting Instructions, north Pacific Cannery Archives, Port Edward Archives, B.C. Box 7C From Managers House Downstairs sunnyside, Tendermens Agreement Negotiations February 20th 1964 Agreement, North Pacific Cannery Archives, Port Edward, B.C. The fishermen were under immense pressure because the strike caused so much disruption the government decided to start an inquiry into fish prices which could have been disastrous for companies as well as fishermen but later fizzled out in 1964. 1963 is remembered as a union failure and meetings were held by senior administrators to appeal to their lower membership on improvements of the union and restore confidence.
1967