New Rules To Ensure Migrant Fishers' Wages Are Paid

TaiwanPlus News

The government is cracking down on the deep-sea fishing fleet's frequent failure to pay the foreign fishers who work onboard. From next year, all shipowners except those considered "no risk" will have to pay into a fund guaranteeing wages. Those who don't pay in will lose their operating licenses.

Transcript

00:00A new system to protect migrant fishers from unpaid wages is set to come online next year.

00:07Taiwan's deep-sea fleet employs more than 10,000 foreign workers, mostly from Southeast

00:12Asia.

00:13But some ship owners are known to withhold their cruise pay.

00:17Under the new system, the government will rank ship owners by risk level, based on how

00:21they pay their cruise.

00:23Those with higher risk must contribute more to a wage reserve fund.

00:27Only no risk operators will be exempt.

00:30Companies that don't pay in could lose their operating licenses.

00:36For a closer look at the new rules on migrant fishers' salaries, John Van Triest spoke to

00:40Shi Yixiang from the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

00:45How have fishing boats been able to get away with withholding their cruise wages in the

00:49first place?

00:50Can you give us some explanation?

00:51Regarding the new situation.

00:53țiil講庭仙人,船長,船東或仲介,他們利用漁工在海上孤立,

01:00不能夠對外通訊去確認薪資.

01:02到底有沒有匯入他們家人的戶頭所導致的一個現象.

01:09所以,如果漁工在海上就可以使用Wi-fi,他們可以每個月去確認薪資是否有正常的發放.

01:20So what's your reaction to this new fund that ship owners will have to pay into to ensure their crew salaries are paid on time?

01:50Since you're so critical of the new policy, what do you think the government should do instead?

02:20Once again, that was Shi Yixiang from the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

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