Star-Kist Samoa and COS Samoa Packing resumed production last week, as planned. Public announcements had ran advising shift supervisors and their crews to report to work as scheduled.
A few of the shifts started Sunday evening while full production began on Monday. Production was closed for their annual two-week holiday downtime, with both canneries undergoing equipment and machinery upgrades.
In past years, the canneries -the territory’s largest private employers- have faced personnel shortages after the holiday break because a good number of workers do not return promptly to work.
COS Samoa Packing general manager, Herman Gebauer said the advance announcements the company did were part of their planning to ensure workers return on time. Many cannery workers had returned to Samo on time. He said the company also started hiring new people, especially fish cleaners during last month, prior to the two-week shutdown, and again last week and “will hire more as we go along.†Gebauer estimates that the company has hired about 30 new employees.
Star-Kist Samoa has been running radio and newspaper ads looking for fish cleaners.