In August we posted about the current boom in the lobster catch in Maine and about concerns that it could end in a bust.  After years of averages catches of around 20 million pounds of lobster per year, Maine’s 5,500 lobster-men landed a record 125 million pounds of lobsters last year.  This has driven the market price of lobster down from a price t the dock of around $6 per pound in 2005 to current prices of as low as $2.20 per pound.  These low prices have been squeezing Maine lobstermen whose cost have risen as the prices have dropped. Even with a larger catch, the low prices make it far harder to turn a profit.

To increase their bargaining power, some lobstermen have joined the Maine Lobsterman’s Union,a new union organized by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. So far, the union has signed up 600 members — 240 of whom have paid dues.

There are a wide range of views about the union. Maine lobstermen tend to be independent business men  and women. They are not employees of any larger organizations so many of the employee protections ensured by the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) do not apply to them.  There are also concerns the machinists union might not understand the complexities of the lobstering business and that the interest of the machinists and the lobstermen  may not be necessarily parallel. The Maine Lobstermen’s Association has spoken out against the new union, warning of false promises made by the machinist’s union.   On the other hand, many believe that a union may provide leverage in negotiating with the large wholesale lobster buyers.