Crew Of Vulnerable And Unprotected Ships, ILO Ratification 188 Enters Government Agenda

Minister of Manpower (Menaker) Yassierli/(ANTARA/HO/Kemnaker RI)

The Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) stated that it is currently examining in-depth the possibility of ratification of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention Number 188 of 2007 concerning Fish Fishing Work (Work in Fishing Convention).

The Minister of Manpower (Menaker) Yassierli said the ratification of this convention was important as a concrete step to increase protection for the crew of Indonesian Fisheries Vessels (AKPI), both domestic and foreign.

"The 188 convention focuses on the safety and health aspects of work (K3), as well as the protection of workers in the fisheries sector. Of course, it must be thoroughly studied and coordinated across ministries and institutions," Yassierli said in an official statement in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, May 26.

4D Profession: Dirty, Hard, Dangerous, And Deadly

Minister of Manpower Yassierli admitted that he understood the pressure from various elements of workers, especially from the Labor Union Network (SP/SB) of the Maritime Sector which assessed work at sea as a 4D category profession: dirty, diffuse, dangerous, and deadly.

"I agree, maritime and fisheries sector work is 4D work. Therefore, special attention from the government is needed. I hope this can become a legacy with all of us, a form of concern for millions of crew members," he said.

This ratification is also in line with President Joko Widodo's directive in a statement during the 2025 International Labor Day (May Day) commemoration. The President called the ILO 188 Convention ratification as one of the strategic issues that the National Labor Welfare Council (DKBN) will soon establish.

DKBN will consist of national labor figures, trade unions, and stakeholders from various labor sectors.

Support for ratification also came from the maritime sector labor organization. Secretary of the SP/SB Maritime Network, Sulistri, assessed that the ratification not only provides protection to workers, but will also have a positive impact on the state and fisheries industry.

This ratification is important to improve labor governance in the fisheries sector. This will have a broad impact, not only for the crew, but also for the state," said Sulawesi.

The same thing was conveyed by Nur Iswanto from the Federation of Indonesian Maritime Workers Unions (FSP) KSPSI. He revealed that many of the crew of fishing vessels are currently still recruited without an official mechanism.

"They were only asked to show their ID card, there was no work contract, there was no wage standard, social security was not clear. This must be changed," he said.