decision iiiaking on this point. Vessel operations which are cannory 

 oimod, and which aro manned by crews hired by the canneiy and arcj 

 diroctad by the canneiy, can hardly be considered joint ventures. On 

 the other hand, operators of ijidividually ovmed veijcols v;hich meraly 

 soil their product to the canner;^'' cannot be considered wage earners 

 in the same econondc sense. In Biloxi, Mississippi the union based 

 its defense on the fact that soma 85 percent of the boats here vjerc 

 canneiy ovmed which tended to place the majority of the fishermen in 

 the wace-earner class. 



The court decision in the Biloxi case had its effect on 

 union activities in adjoining areas. Since the verdict against the 

 Biloxi union, the Alabama branch of the union reportedly has been rather 

 inactive. 



Unions can, and do, exorcise an important role in price sta- 

 bilisation. In non-unionized ports, price fluctuations are frequent 

 and often severe. IJlien the union is operative, the ex-vessel price 

 paid to the fishennen is changed only upon agreement betx/een the fish- 

 ennon and the buyers. Generally such agreements are negotiated only 

 in cases xrhero a substantial re-adjustment due to mai'ket changes is 

 called for. For instance, in Broimsville, a ro-adjustment is made 

 only wh3n the mai'ket price has fluctuated enough to wai'rant a five 

 dollar increase per barrel (125 pounds heads-off, or 210 pounds whole). 

 It is only under rare conditions that an adjustment of less than $5.00 

 per bai'rel takes place. Thus, the fishennan has a reasonable amount of 

 assurance that the value of his catch viill not be reduced by a sudden 

 market depression. Nor, of course, will it be enhanced by a moiurintary 

 upward mai-ket fluriy. Should the ex-vessel price be changed vrfiile the 

 boat is at sea, the boatman is still paid the price which was operative 

 at the time he left the dock. 



The unions are active to a small extent in fields other than 

 price negotiations. They offer burial insurance policies and many 

 fisherman cite this as the primary inducement encouraging union affil- 

 iation. The unions do not maintain health insurance programs. To the 

 extent of their resources they aid fishermen in finding employment. 



Both Texas unions, the one located in Brownsville and the 

 one located in Galveston, claim to embrace 85 percent of the fishermen 

 operating out of the ports in x;hicb they aro domiciled. Fishermen land- 

 ing shrimp in unionised ports are ':;ubject to union fees even though 

 thoy are not meribers of the union. All fishermen receive the same price 

 for their product regardless of whether or not they are affiliated. 



123 



