Aberdeen Fishermen Hold the Line for a Better Price
The fishermen's union signs for 4 cents a pound—nearly triple the buyers' opening offer—and vows to stay with the contract as packers try to undercut it.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Aberdeen, Jan. 31.—The differences between the fishermen and the fish buyers came to a settlement today. The fishermen's union contracted for their entire catch from now until April 1 at 4 cents a pound in the round. As buyers were only offering 1½ cents, the raise was considerable, and the offer was accepted, and a car of fish is now being loaded. The buyers will offer 4½ cents a pound this morning and endeavor to drive Johnson out of the field, and say they will bid as high as 5 cents a pound if necessary to do it. The members of the union comprise all the fishermen on the harbor, and they state emphatically that they will stay by their contract.
“The members of the union comprise all the fishermen on the harbor, and they state emphatically that they will stay by their contract.”
A local union facing packers with market power won a price floor by acting collectively. The same fight over who sets the price of fish—and whether workers can hold a contract when buyers bid to break it—continues in Washington's fisheries today.
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