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.
“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
The guy lost two fingers and did his own surgery over four days with nail clippers. WTF
They should be asking for internet access rather than “WiFi”, as WiFi is not synonymous with internet access
To normies of course it is, they don’t even know what the innernette is, they know WiFi though. I’ve even seen people call their cellular signal “phone WiFi” or “5G WiFi” and refer to a Cat5 Ethernet cable as a “WiFi cable”.
I’ve increasingly noticed this. It’s irritating.
if language changes like that then the problem is that while what they want is clear, what they might get is just a WiFi router in the boat so they can have WiFi but no internet.
also, expecting everyone to be technologically literate is just plain stupid, especially in poorer countries.
“Here’s your WiFi. Oh, you want the password? Next you’ll be asking for DHCP.”
Thank you professor stallman.
On one hand, yes. On the other hand, on a cell phone on a boat in the middle of nowhere with no congestion in the airwaves, it’s probably by far the most practical.
You can have WiFi without internet, as is the case on some boats and airplanes
how are they making so much less then what I make at walmart??
Because Walmart isn’t legally allowed to pay you what they really want to pay.
Because they live in a different country
Indonesian migrant fishermen who work for Taiwan’s massive fishing market
Because of the implication that something could go wrong if you didn’t work for them on their boat.
Are these fishers in danger?
Of course not! If they say no, the answer’s no.
Upvote for the It’s always sunny reference.
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Typical first world citizen.
So, if you’re working 22 hour days for $450 a month, you’re not really in a position to decide what equipment gets installed on the boat. There’s a lot of things that are technically possible but not done because it doesn’t serve company greed.
“Get a different job” doesn’t apply when it’s stuff that everyone would want, like being able to call their family. The next person will just ask for the same thing.
Imagine installing your own satellite dish at work.
