Deep Sea Fishermen: Defending Union Jobs and Pacific Sustainability with James Johnson

In an industry where 90 percent of new workers quit within the first year, the Deep Sea Fishermen’s Union of the Pacific stands as a testament to the power of organized labor in the most extreme conditions.

On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Executive Director James Johnson joins host Ed “Flash” Ferenc to pull back the curtain on the commercial fishing industry. Johnson explains why this Seattle-based organization is the oldest and only independent fishermen's union in the U.S. and how they’ve secured better pay and safer vessels for their members.

Topics Discussed:

• The Nordic Roots: How 19th-century Scandinavian fishermen built the foundation for Seattle’s fishing hub.

• Survival at Sea: The rigorous maritime training and safety standards that keep union members alive in a hazardous trade.

• Labor as Stewardship: Why protecting North Pacific fish stocks is a primary labor issue, not a secondary environmental one.

• The Market Threat: Why wild-caught seafood matters and the impact of climate change and Russian hatcheries on the local ecosystem.