Fisheries protests give rise to a new John Efford but what's next for the unofficial leader?

Hundreds of fish harvesters chanted John Efford's name last Friday as he delivered the news they'd been waiting to hear. He'd just negotiated a deal with theNewfoundland and Labrador government for what harvesters consider a better way forward in the fisheries.

Until this month, the general public would haveassociated Efford's name with his late father the former fisheries minister who was a firebrand in his own right.

But here was the younger Efford, a fisherman from Port de Grave, standing in the back of a pickup truck with a groupof followers gathered in front of him.

He had led them through two days of intense protests outside the house of government, and now he was the one holding the megaphone not Fish, Food & Allied Workers union president Greg Pretty, norFFAW treasury-secretary Jason Spingle.

"Thank Jesus we've finally got some leadership!" a fisherman yelled from the crowd.

"Isn't it about time?" Effordquipped, garnering cheers.

Rough road to unity in fisheries union

The FFAWhas been beleaguered by attempts to break it upsince at least 2016, when former politician Ryan Cleary led a group of disgruntled fishermen to form FISH-NL.

One of theirbiggest gripes was that the union representing them was also representing fish plant workers, and what's good for one side can beconversely bad for the other.

While Cleary's attempts to form a breakaway union died out over time, those samefrustrations were at the core of the protests this month, as fishermen decried alack of controlover their own enterprises. Many told CBC News they were at the mercy of themerchants:being told by processors when they could fish, how much they could catch and where they could sell it.

Efford's group started protesting in early March, demanding the provincial government allow fish harvestersmore control. If they weren't satisfied with local options, they wanted to be able to look outside the province to sell their catch.

Theyscored a big win on March 14, when the FFAW announced it was backing their fight.

WATCH | From Thursday, John Efford tells supporters to stage a peaceful protest against the provincial budget:

Fish harvesters will show self-control in a peaceful protest, organizer vows

7 months ago

Duration 1:25

John Efford Jr. spoke early Thursday morning to hundreds of fish harvesters who returned for Day 2 of protests, stressing the group would not act like an angry mob in front of Confederation Building in St. Johns. Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers lined the entrance in riot gear. An injunction prevents protesters from intimidating or harassing people entering the government complex.

"It's a step now towards unity," Effordtold TheBroadcastthat night. "It's a step towards bringing all fish harvesters together with our union, with our leadership."

That message continued throughout last week's protests, which saw fishermen tangle with police officers and shut down a provincial budget speech.

When Premier Andrew Furey insisted he wouldn't negotiate with "splinter groups," Efford responded by saying, "We are the FFAW. We are not a splinter group. Every fisherman here is the FFAW."

Same fight, different John Efford

It's not the first time a man named John Efford has led a movement of fishermen accused of being a splinter group.

His father who had been temporarily removed from the cabinet of Liberal premier Clyde Wells helped form the United Fisherpersons of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1992,protesting theslashing of cod stocks and the eventual moratorium.

A few years later, the elder Efford was on the other side of the protest line. He was the fisheries ministerin 1996, as crab prices plummeted andfish harvesters railedfor the right to sell to buyers from outside the province.

EffordSr. allowed it, but onlyfor a 30-day window, causing ire acrossthe industry. Fishermen clashed with police, and one even rushed toward EffordSr. as he spoke to the crowd.

A task force report published following the 1996 season stated, "Harvesters spoke out strongly on the issue of outside buyers. They stated their belief that thefish processing industry is controlled by a 'cartel'and that outside buyers represent the only real competition to this group."

Twenty-eight years later, the younger John Effordled a group of protesters backtothe steps of the Confederation Building and made exactly the same complaint.

What's next for Efford and the FFAW?

Throughout this month'sprotests, there were quips in the crowd that the true leader of the FFAWwas the unelected man with the megaphone.

On March 12, Fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless told angry fish harvesters outside Confederation Building thathe'd like to discuss the issue with their union, to which some responded with shouted expletives about theirleadership.

The anti-union sentiment became less overt two days later when the FFAW came onside with themovement.

After a deal was struck, CBC News asked Effordif he had any aspirations for an executive position within the union, or to follow in his father's footsteps and enter politics.

"All I wanna do is go fishing," he replied. "That's why I'm here."

Throughout the protests, he was able torallysects of fish harvesters that don'tsee eye-to-eye. That includes harvesters who were aligned with FISH-NL,those who remained closer to the FFAW, and those who broke in different directions over the years.

The president of the uniontook notice.

"We have groups in this province that have spent eight years of their lives trying to tear down the FFAW," Pretty said.

"They were here. They're still at it. So you have to wonder what's going on. I happento acknowledge that this process has brought some groups together. I've talked to some harvesters here today, so I have a good feeling moving forward. That solidarity is what's going to change this system. Not splinter groups."

Whatever his aspirations are, Pretty said Efford will be an asset as they begin what they hope is a new chapter in the fishing industry.

"He did play a major role in organizing these protests, there's no question about that," Pretty said.

"We'll work closely together to make sure that we have solidarity moving forward, because it can only happen when we are together."

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