Union hits agreement to let Filipino seafarers crew Canadian-flagged ships

Greg Pretty, president of Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW-Unifor), says Canada-Philippine agreement letting Filipino seafarers crew Canadian-flagged ships will negatively affect Canadian workers.

A Canadian union representing seafood harvesters and processing plant workers criticized a recent agreement between Transport Canada and the Philippines allowing Filipino seafarers to work on Canadian-flagged vessels.

Greg Pretty, president of Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW-Unifor), says 200 of its members will be negatively affected by the agreement, which the union says signals “a rapid erosion of quality, at-sea jobs in favor of low-wage labor” and marine safety standards.

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Pretty adds that unemployment rates are “alarmingly high” throughout Atlantic Canada, yet the federal government is looking at ways to make it harder for Canadians to compete for jobs right on their doorstep.