Distant-water fishers are out on the ocean for up to 10 months at a time, with no contact to the outside world.

Adrian Basar did not want to become a distant-water fisherman. With 22-hour workdays and pay of around 450 dollars per month, it’s not the most glamorous—or fulfilling, or generally safe—job.

But for 10 months out of the year, when he’s out at sea, Basar can’t talk to his siblings, or anyone in his family, because he’s not allowed to use the Wi-Fi on the ship.

“I think the companies that don’t want to put Wi-Fi on their ships pray for things not to be revealed,” Basar said. “There are many companies that don’t want Wi-Fi.”

A coalition between a self-organized Indonesian fishers’ union, a Taiwanese human rights group and multiple global labor organizations is trying to change that.

The “Wi-Fi Now for Fishers’ Rights” campaign, which has been organizing since 2023, wants to make Wi-Fi access a standard in the industry, both to help improve working conditions through union organizing and to allow the workers to have contact with other human beings for more than two months per year.

  • ilmagico@lemmy.worldEnglish
    15·
    2 days ago

    “We feel very isolated out there. We cannot ask for help, we cannot use our phones. But the captain is in charge, and the captain can use it. The only one that has access is the captain.”

    So, boats already have wifi (and internet), in most cases, but fishermen are not allowed to use it. It’s not a technical or cost issue, it’s just… they don’t want the fishermen to communicate with the outside world