Labor Sponsors Traveling Seafood Workforce 2000 Project
DOL/Seafood Industry Combine Forces to Promote Job Opportunities
Apr. 26, 2000
No. 00-46
Keeping Alaskans in a job and providing seafood
processors with a skilled workforce are the goals of the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development's Traveling Seafood Workforce 2000 project. For a second consecutive year, the
department will be involved in helping move laid-off workers in Bristol Bay to plants
operating in Southeast Alaska and other areas of the state. The project is the result of a
collaboration between state labor officials and seafood industry representatives to solve
existing worker shortages during Alaska's salmon season.
"Traveling Seafood Workforce 2000 helps us fulfill our mission of giving qualified
workers, especially Alaskans, the opportunity for continuous employment in one of Alaska's
largest seasonal industries," Labor Commissioner Ed Flanagan said. "We have in
Alaska a labor pool comprised of highly motivated, experienced workers with proven skills
and abilities. By mobilizing workers, we can provide the industry with the kind of people
it needs to produce quality Alaska seafood products for a worldwide market."
From June 26 to July 21, Labor's Seafood Employment Unit will operate a temporary Job
Center out of the Bristol Bay Borough Office in Naknek. (Historically, the Bristol Bay
salmon season begins mid-June and ends between July 15th and July 20th.) Equipped with a
fax, telephone and an Internet connection, this office will serve the community and
seafood industry by helping seafood workers from the Naknek/King Salmon area, who have
completed their contracts, move on to new jobs where workers are still needed to process
salmon.
"I'm glad the service will be available to folks in the Borough this season,"
said Bristol Bay Borough Manager Jeff Currier. "The office will provide opportunities
for people to find jobs not only here but statewide."
To accommodate the needs of the seafood industry employers, two Labor employment
specialists will be on-call in Naknek during the peak of the salmon-processing season
arranging for other seafood companies to hire those workers no longer needed in Bristol
Bay.
Norquest Seafoods participated in the program last year and was very happy with the
results, according to Jim Hutsinpiller, director of human resources at the Seattle-based
company. "We think this is a great example of the state of Alaska utilizing its
resources to benefit the seafood industry, and look forward to participating in the
expanded program this year," Hutsinpiller said.
Many of the seafood companies in the Naknek/King Salmon area pay the transportation costs
for workers who complete their season-long contracts as do companies operating elsewhere
in the state. The Traveling Seafood Worker program coordinates the employment of workers,
often reducing travel costs saving the processing companies money while increasing the
employment opportunities of trained Alaska workers.
For more information, contact Pennelope Goforth, State seafood employment specialist, at
(907) 269-4747 or by email j_pennelope_goforth@labor.state.ak.us
or Laurie Fuglvog, Seafood Employment Analyst, at (907) 465-5955, or by email laurie_fuglvog@labor.state.ak.us
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