Employment

SPC Mission Statement ~ It is the mission of Seafood Producers Cooperative to maintain an opportunity for quality oriented fishermen to participate in a cooperative organization that provides processing, marketing and support services which will allow members to maximize the benefits of their fishing efforts and provide the consumer with the highest quality seafood possible.

Our progress and success in achieving the objectives set out in our mission statement depend upon the understanding, cooperation and teamwork of all our employees here at Seafood Producers Cooperative. Each employee and every task makes an important contribution to our success. Our season generally begins in mid-March and ends November 15. Employment opportunities exist throughout the season, but peak during the busy summer months of June, July and August. SPC offers competitive wages, benefits for qualifying employees, and a safe work environment in a modern processing facility. If you are interested in working at our Sitka processing facility you can complete and submit our Online Application or print the application, complete it and fax it to (907) 747-5811.

THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW

About Sitka
Our processing facility is in Sitka, Alaska. Sitka is located on Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska, on the outer coast of Alaska Inside Passage, and is accessible by the Alaska Marine Ferry System or Alaska Airlines.  Sitka has most of the services one would expect to find in a good sized town in the rest of the U.S. Three supermarkets, a variety of restaurants, and other retail businesses serve a population of 8,900 residents and countless summer visitors. Sitka also has two hospitals, two colleges, two libraries, and places of worship for nearly every faith. The scenery is spectacular with lots of outdoor recreation and attractions. The weather is fairly mild with an average high temperature in August of 62 degrees and an average low temperature in January of 30 degrees. Average annual rainfall is 86” and average annual snowfall is 39”. For more information on Sitka, visit these sites: www.sitka.com and www.sitka.org.

What To Expect
Work in a seafood processing plant can mean long hours, cold and wet conditions, and hard work. The jobs can be demanding and the hours long. During the busy summer months twelve hour days are normal and a day off is unusual. To succeed in the processing industry, a worker must be capable of working the necessary hours and be motivated by the extra pay that overtime hours bring. Hard work and long hours result in big paychecks! Although the days can be long, workers take a lunch break and regularly scheduled coffee breaks.

Processing workers can expect to help unload boats, sort fresh fish by species and grade, cut off heads and remove guts, shovel ice, and clean up the processing areas. A seafood processor may remove the frozen fish from freezer racks, pack fish for shipment or storage, or load heavy boxes of fish onto trucks. The jobs are frequently wet or messy, so workers usually wear rubber boots, rain gear and gloves.

SPC Employee Pay Rates and Benefits
Pay Scale The following is the current pay scale for hourly processing labor at SPC:

0 – 500 hours               $  8.00/hour
501 – 1200 hours        $  8.25/hour
1201 – 2400 hours      $ 9.00/hour
2401 hours and up      $10.65/hour

Generally a new employee can expect to reach $9.00/hour by the end of the first processing season and reach our top wage of $10.65/hour during the beginning of the second processing season. SPC pays overtime at the rate of 1 ½ times your hourly rate for hours worked in excess of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.

Bonus Program
SPC pays a bonus to employees who begin work by April 1 and remain through November 15, which is the end of the longline fishing season. The bonus amount changes from year to year, however it is usually greater than $0.60 per hour for every hour worked by a qualifying employee.

Health Insurance
SPC offers medical, dental and life insurance for hourly employees who have completed 3,000 hours of service and who work a minimum number of hours each month. The company pays 75% of the employee premium and 50% of dependent premiums.

401(k) Plan
After completing a year of service with a minimum of 1000 hours employees are eligible to participate in the SPC 401(k) retirement program. Employees may contribute a portion of their wages to the plan and SPC will contribute an amount equal to 37.5% of your contribution, though no more than 3% of your total compensation.

Eligibility For Employment
In order to work in the United States proof of eligibility for employment is required. The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, requires that employers have new workers fill out Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification. Certain documents must be presented in order to verify your eligibility to work.

SPC cannot hire you unless you present appropriate documentation in person. You can go to this website http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-9.pdf to view the form. The final page contains a list of acceptable documents. Remember, you will need either one document from List A or a combination of one document from List B and one document from List C.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Since we are an Equal Opportunity Employer all employees and potential employees will be recruited, selected, trained, promoted, transferred, and if necessary terminated without regard to sex, race, religion, age, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood, national origin, color, or the presence of any sensory, physical or mental handicap. All applicants are carefully screened and full consideration is given to their training, education, skills, aptitudes, experience, growth potential and previous work record. Our Equal Employment Opportunity policy applies to all phases of employment – selection, promotion and demotion, transfer, compensation and benefits, layoff and recall, and termination.

Potential Employee FAQ
Q: What is Sitka like?
A: Sitka is a friendly and welcoming community with a variety of cultural and recreational activities. Given its location, outdoor recreation in the form of hiking, camping, hunting, fishing and boating are popular with the local residents. Other diversions include museums, libraries, and a movie theater. Sitka also has three radio stations, a television station, and a local daily newspaper. For more information visit: http://www.sitka.org or http://www.sitka.com.

Q: How do I get to Sitka?
A: Situated on an island there are no roads to Sitka, but the Alaska State Ferry System and Alaska Airlines serve the community with regular schedules.

Q: Is housing available?
A: SPC has housing available for up to forty-four non-resident employees during the processing season. The SPC bunkhouse is a comfortable, modern, on-site dormitory. There are showers, laundry facilities, and a TV room. Meals are provided to bunkhouse residents. Please contact Jeff Pearson at the Sitka plant for information on availability and cost of accommodations. Other housing is available in town, but the rental market in summer is very limited.

Q: What about camping?
A: The U.S. Forest Service maintains two public campgrounds in Sitka. The Sitka Sportsmen’s Association and the City and Borough of Sitka both maintain small campgrounds for those with recreations vehicles. National forest lands are accessible by foot from town along the Gavin Hill Trail and the Indian River Trail. It is extremely important not to camp on private property near these trails to avoid arrest for trespassing.

Q: What’s the weather like in Sitka?
A: The weather is highly variable, both seasonally and year to year. Summer temperatures can range from 40 to 75 degrees F (5 to 24 degrees C). Sitka is located in a temperate rain forest, so summer weather is frequently rainy. In the spring and autumn, temperatures can dip to freezing or colder. Storms with rain and high winds are more frequent in the autumn months.

Q: What should I bring to Sitka?
A: A list of personal gear would include:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Illegal drugs
• Firearms or other weapons