New collective bargaining legislation best represents views of fishing industry

Tom Rideout, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, today said that the amendments to the Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act (FICBA) best represent the views of the fishing industry.

Minister Rideout said: "My department held extensive consultations with both harvesters and processors over the past two months. Based on these consultations, the new legislation represents the best approach that satisfies the most people in the industry. It was driven neither by harvesters nor processors. It was government�s responsibility to implement a legislative framework that would give the fishery the best opportunity to open on April 1, and we have done just that."

The amendments to the FICBA were passed yesterday in a special sitting of the House of Assembly.

The minister said that the vast majority of the fishing industry wants accreditation on a species by species basis.

"Our advice from everywhere in the industry, from processors and the FFAW, is that the system will not work if we move away from single species accreditation," said Minister Rideout. "This includes both processing companies big and small. If we stray from this condition, and add another condition that an official bargaining agent for a species represent 50 per cent plus one of the processors who are processing that species, the industry would end up with a settlement imposed by the panel in every instance."

"We do not want to leave that possibility there," continued the minister. "We all want collective bargaining to work. Historically, price disputes have delayed the opening of this province�s major fisheries. This is devastating for the many people throughout the province who are depending on this industry. Therefore, we need a legislative framework that promotes an effective collective bargaining arena."

Minister Rideout went on to explain why government decided not to exclude Labrador from species accreditation. "Excluding Labrador processors from this accreditation could give them a competitive advantage, as they would not be bound by prices negotiated on the island," said the minister. "It is important to realize that with the new road system, the Labrador fishery has changed. With the new road, processors that traditionally bought only in Labrador have now been buying on the island and trucking product to Labrador. If Labrador buyers can come to the island to compete for product, then we can�t say that island processors cannot compete for product in Labrador. All processors must operate under the same ground rules."

"To be fair," continued the minister, "the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Settlement Area has been excluded from species accreditation since it makes sense to do so."

The minister added that including Labrador processors in the accreditation order gives them a say in the collective bargaining process and they could negotiate special exemptions as required.

Minister Rideout said: "We have met our commitment to put a framework in place to ensure a price is set in time for the major fisheries in this province to commence without delay. Government cannot legislate morals, and it cannot legislate ethics. We have heard the views of the industry and we are calling on them to make this framework succeed for the benefit of everyone who is depending on the fishery. Our government believes this is what the fishery needs at the present time.

"However," continued the minister, "if it is determined to be necessary at some point in the future, our government will have no problem adjusting this legislation if needed."

Media contact: Lori Lee Oates, ABC, Communications, (709) 729-3733, 690-8403

2006 02 24                                 2:40 p.m.