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Business & Economics Labor

A Match to a Blasty Bough

How FFAW-Unifor confronted power and shared the wealth

by (author) Earle McCurdy

Publisher
Boulder Books
Initial publish date
Oct 2021
Category
Labor
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781989417447
    Publish Date
    Oct 2021
    List Price
    $24.95

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Description

The fishery defines the culture and heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador. But historically, it was merchants who wielded power and reaped the bounty created by workers.

This changed in 1971 when a group of dedicated people created what was then known simply as the Fishermen’s Union. Their goal—which was derided as idealistic and doomed to failure—was to change the power structure of the fishing industry to ensure workers could finally obtain their rightful share of the wealth.

But the naysayers were wrong, and the union has survived market crashes, industry restructuring, divisive corporate campaigns, scandalous levels of foreign overfishing, and devastating fish stock collapses.

Earle McCurdy, who spent most of his career with the FFAW-Unifor, has been at the center for many of the union’s important battles. Drawing on personal experience, as well as dozens of interviews and extensive research, McCurdy tells the compelling true story of challenge and triumph.

About the author

Earle McCurdy, who spent most of his career with the FFAW-Unifor, has been at the center for many of the union’s important battles. Drawing on personal experience, as well as dozens of interviews and extensive research, McCurdy tells the compelling true story of challenge and triumph.

Earle McCurdy's profile page