Improving Seal Skin Quality and Working Conditions: A Look at Great Greenland A/S
Aviaja Holm Jensen, the Acting Director of Great Greenland A/S, is committed to enhancing the quality of seal skins and the working conditions at procurement facilities across various cities and towns. However, some employees voice a different perspective. A procurement worker from Savissivik expressed concerns that while progress is being made, the current conditions leave much to be desired.
Enhancing Payroll Procedures
After sealskins are collected at coastal facilities, they make their way to Great Greenland’s processing center in Qaqortoq, where employees receive payment based on the assessed quality of the skins. Yet, as previously reported by Sermitsiaq, delays in transportation—particularly from remote areas—often result in employees waiting months to receive their wages.
In a bid to expedite payments, Great Greenland has implemented changes: sealskins from the Upernavik region are now sent to a receiving station in Upernavik, while those from Tasiilaq settlements are dispatched to a quality assessment center in Tasiilaq. This adjustment aims to streamline the payment process, allowing procurement employees to receive their earnings more promptly, as highlighted by Jensen.
Great Greenland operates 31 sealskin processing facilities along the coast. Currently, employees are compensated DKK 478 for a harp seal skin, DKK 329 for a small ringed seal, and DKK 358 for a large ringed seal.
Addressing Freezing Capacity Issues
Coastal processing plants often rely on 600-liter chest freezers, but in isolated regions where ice persists for months, operations can be halted when these freezers reach capacity. Former director Preben Møller had explored the potential of utilizing freezing resources from Pilersuisoq or local fish factories, but when that proved unfeasible, he considered providing freezer containers instead. As of now, however, there are no immediate plans in place for this solution, Jensen asserts.
“When employees reach out about freezing capacity, we evaluate the request based on how many hides are being procured at that particular location,” Jensen explained. With increased freezing capacity available at the Upernavik and Tasiilaq receiving stations, skins from nearby settlements are directed there instead. Therefore, the installation of freezer containers is currently not in the works.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Jensen insists that efforts to improve seal skin quality and employee working conditions remain a high priority. “We maintain open lines of communication with employees at our procurement facilities. For instance, we recently encountered issues with salted hides of subpar quality at our facility in Qaqortoq. It became evident that some hides had been stored for too long. We advised the responsible party to transition to purchasing hides that are frozen in chest freezers, hoping this would yield better quality in the future,” she said. Following this discussion, Great Greenland provided the necessary materials and equipment for the transition.
Anticipations of Reduced Procurement Volumes
Jensen highlights that Great Greenland continues to supply procurement employees with essential production materials, including four scraping machines and ten purification plants at coastal facilities. Last year, the company processed nearly 35,000 sealskins, but as of late August this year, that number has fallen by about 4,000 compared to the same period last year. Consequently, officials foresee a decrease in procurement volumes.
Room for Enhancement
Olennguaq Kristensen, a procurement worker in Savissivik, underscores the challenges posed by the region’s geography, which complicates the shipment of sealskins and often delays payments. Additionally, he notes that full chest freezers necessitate halting procurement activities for extended periods. While Great Greenland is making strides, Kristensen believes there is still significant room for improvement.
“If we could enhance our freezing facilities in remote areas, we would be better positioned to meet Great Greenland’s high standards for sealskin quality. It’s disappointing that there are currently no plans for freezer container installations in these regions,” he lamented, adding that the prolonged storage of skins in inadequate freezers negatively impacts both quality and employee earnings.
In summary, while Great Greenland A/S is actively working to refine processes and improve conditions in the seal skin industry, the voices from the ground highlight ongoing challenges that still need addressing.