In an official statement issued on Monday, the minister emphasized that the convention is essential to enhance protections for fishing vessel crew members.
“Convention 188 focuses on the safety, health, and overall protection of workers in the fisheries sector. A thorough study and coordination among ministries and agencies are necessary,” Yassierli said.
He noted that a joint study is required because the matters covered by the convention fall under the purview of several institutions, including the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI).
Yassierli added that, in line with President Prabowo Subianto's remarks during the International Workers’ Day commemoration on May 1, the ratification process will be reviewed by the soon-to-be-established National Workers’ Welfare Council (DKBN).
He explained that the DKBN will include leaders from labor unions across Indonesia and will play a key role in assessing labor-related initiatives.
Also in the statement, Sulistri, Secretary General of the Maritime Sector Workers Union, said that ratifying the convention would benefit not only fishing crews but also the national fishing industry and Indonesia as a whole.
Nur Iswanto, a representative from the Confederation of All Indonesian Workers’ Unions (KSPSI), highlighted ongoing issues in the sector, noting that many fishing crew members are recruited without clear procedures or adequate guarantees of social protection and occupational safety.
Adopted by the ILO in 2007, Convention 188 entered into force on November 16, 2017. To date, it has been ratified by 22 countries, including Thailand, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, and Argentina.
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Translator: Arnidhya Nur, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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