Canada’s Coastal Fisheries: Formation of Unions, Cooperatives, and Associations

Abstract

Building some lines of analysis applicable to the study of class formation, this paper focuses on conceptual formulations useful for understanding unions, cooperatives and associations in Canada’s coastal fisheries. The paper attempts to give some content to class relations by identifying major patterns of production relevant to Canada’s fisheries. The paper is not simply an exercise in classification (although this is necessary) but focuses on the need to identify processes and incorporate political and cultural/ideological practices in developing relevant social categories. The purpose is to begin to understand the material basis of various organizational forms and assess the political and ideological struggles within fisheries.