Indonesian fishermen sue US canned tuna giant over claims of forced labour

JAKARTA - On a ship that caught tuna for American consumers, fishermen said they were fed so little that they resorted to eating the bait.

On another, a worker said he was beaten repeatedly by the captain, sometimes with a metal hook. On a third, a man who experienced severe burns in a kitchen accident said he was denied medical care and survived only by treating himself with Vaseline petroleum jelly.

All three boats offloaded their catch to other vessels, remaining at sea for months. For those who wanted to leave, there was little hope.

These accusations are central to a new lawsuit filed by four Indonesian fishermen. They say they want to right a wrong that, according to them, was tolerated by one of America’s oldest tuna brands, Bumble Bee Foods.

They are suing the company in federal court in California, accusing it of being aware of and benefiting from forced labour on ships operated by its suppliers. Bumble Bee, which is based in San Diego, said it would not comment on pending litigation.

“I want justice,” Mr Muhammad Syafi’i, one of the plaintiffs, said in a Zoom interview from his home in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta. “For myself, for my fate, and for my friends who are still out there.”

In 2021, he was employed as a cook on a boat that caught tuna that was sold to Bumble Bee. He also had to help with the fishing and was forced to fork out over nearly half of his US$320 (S$430) monthly salary for months.

That July, he was severely burned when hot oil from his wok spilled onto the lower half of his body. He said the captain refused to get him medical care for months. Eventually, he was allowed to return home.

The International Labour