Workers deciding on compensation offer after Black Duck Cove fish plant fire

The owners of a Northern Peninsula fish plant destroyed by fireWednesday haveoffered workers other jobs and relocation money, butunion leadership is telling members to wait before making a decision.

Eva Applin, an employee and union representative with the Gulf Shrimp plant in Black Duck Cove, says the company's offer to their employees is generous, but workers at the plant want to stay in their community.

A long-term goal is to have our plant put back at Black Duck Cove.- Eva Applin

"The company has offered us to relocate to Old Perlican for the coming season, but that's a little bit out [of] reach right now [workers want] their plant rebuilt at Black Duck Cove," Applin said.

"By us leaving and going to Old Perlican right now which is a tremendous offer at this point it is a Band-Aid, but a long-term goal is to have our plant put back at Black Duck Cove."

On Thursday afternoon, Gulf Shrimp Limited offeredjobs at the company's production facilities at Old Perlican, plus accommodation and relocation allowances, to all the employees displaced by the fire.

New jobs nearly 1,000 km away

Applin agrees that it is a strong offer, but the Old Perlican facilities are nearly 1,000 kilometres away, and the work would take employees away from their families for months at a time.

"When we start work here, it's night and day, consumed for, like, 14, 16 to 25 weeks," she said.

"Basically when the people leave this area and go, they're gone for the summer. Some of those people have kids, some have elderly people living in the home with them, that is almost impossible for some people [to leave]."

Applin said the union met with workers Thursday to discuss the deal, but many of the 65 workers are still reeling after the fire.

"[There's a] feeling of loss, anxiety, desperation, not knowing where we're going to turn right now," she said.

"The workers are trying to get their heads around what has just happened."

Ultimately, the union wants to keep workers in Black Duck Cove, Applin said, and is now waiting to see if Gulf Shrimp will rebuild in the community.

And there is a history of fish plants rising from the ashes after significant fires.

After a Quinlan Brothers plant burned down in Bay de Verde in 2016, Quinlan Brothers committed to reopening, and had a new building up within a year.

Gulf Shrimp Limitedis jointly owned by QuinSea Fisheries Limited and Quinlan Brothers Limited.

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