Beyond slavery scandals: Explaining working conditions among fish workers in Taiwan and Thailand

Abstract This paper draws on research on fisheries based in Taiwan and Thailand, to build an exploratory framework that identifies diverse and multilayered causes for unacceptable working conditions in industrial fisheries. We break down labour relations and working conditions into various elements that can be examined separately, including facilitation of individual and collective actions by workers, wages, recruitment, the role of crewing agencies, employment mobilities, mode of travel to a vessel, type of vessel and gear, locations of ports, working hours, physical and mental abuse, and everyday living conditions, including access to health care. Poor or good performance among these elements do not necessarily co-vary, and that policy actions to improve each of elements are distinct. Although the spotlight has been on labour conditions in Thai fisheries, we observe how there is significant room for improvement in Taiwanese fisheries, particularly the distant water fisheries, and that the improvements in Thailand suggests policy actions for the Taiwan fisheries. While improvements in working conditions require government regulation, monitoring and inspection, it is also crucial to facilitate the ability of workers to improve their situations through individual and collective action.