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.
I really don’t want to be a hater on this, but maybe get a different vocation?
If you need remote access to Internet, Starlink IS an option if you want to give that prick money.
There are also other Sat alternatives as well. This is mostly a solved problem.
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.
Typical first world citizen.
“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.