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Showing posts from August, 2016

Canadian Labour Congress asked to investigate FFAW, or recommend a group that can

Hassan Yussuff President, Canadian Labour Congress 2841 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ont.  K1V8X7 Aug. 24th, 2016  Mr. Yussuff, I’m writing to request your help with a growing concern involving one of the Canadian Labour Congress’ affiliated members — the Fish, Food and Allied Workers’ (FFAW) union, representing most fishery workers in Newfoundland and Labrador.  The issue involves potential conflicts of interest, and what many fishermen see as the warping of the FFAW from a union into a corporation, focused more with feeding itself than the fishery workers it serves.   The perceived conflict is two-fold.  First, the FFAW receives untold millions of dollars a year from various federal departments to administer/oversee various fisheries programs in the province, while, at the same time, the union is expected to hold Ottawa to account on its day-to-day management and overall policy decisions. As a former Member of Parliament (St. John’s South-Mount Pearl,