Latest news with #BumbleBeeSeafoods
South China Morning Post
27-03-2025
- South China Morning Post
Indonesian fishermen sue US food giant Bumble Bee Seafoods in landmark forced labour case
A landmark human trafficking lawsuit filed by four Indonesian fishermen against US canned seafood giant Bumble Bee Seafoods could open the door for more victims of forced labour to sue well-resourced companies that profit from their exploitation at sea, rights groups said. Advertisement In the lawsuit, filed on March 12 in California, the plaintiffs alleged forced labour and abuse on board Chinese-owned longline vessels in Bumble Bee's supply chain. The complaint detailed abuses such as withheld wages, physical mistreatment, long working hours, debt bondage, and threats to their families. It is believed to be the first case of forced labour at sea brought against an American seafood company. 'Trafficking at sea happens because it's profitable, perpetrators can avoid getting caught because the victims are isolated from law enforcement and there are so many jurisdictional hurdles to effective enforcement,' Agnieszka Fryszman, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, told This Week in Asia, adding that once onshore, fishers often lack access to legal support in other countries. 'Merely arresting the low level actors will not put a stop to forced labour.' Advertisement
Los Angeles Times
13-03-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee and say the canned tuna giant knew of abuse in its supply chain
SAN DIEGO — Lawyers representing four Indonesian fishermen who say they were beaten and trapped on vessels that were part of the global supply chain that provided tuna to Bumble Bee Seafoods filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the canned seafood giant. It is believed to be the first such case of forced labor at sea brought against a U.S. seafood company, the men's lawyer, Agnieszka Fryszman, said. U.S. companies that benefit from forced labor and undercut other businesses need to be held accountable, Fryszman said. 'What you see is really devastating,' she said. The lawsuit accuses the company headquartered in San Diego of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The law allows foreigners who suffered from human trafficking to sue U.S. businesses that knew or should have known that they were profiting from forced labor. Bumble Bee said in an email to The Associated Press that it does not comment on pending litigation. The fisherman are all from villages in Indonesia and worked for longline vessels owned by Chinese companies from which Bumble Bee sourced its albacore tuna, according to the lawsuit. They say they were beaten regularly by their captains. One fisherman named Akhmad, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said he was hit by a metal hook and forced to work even after being injured on the job by a load of fish that gashed open his leg to the bone. Another fisherman, Syafi'i, said he received no medical care for severe burns and was ordered to return to work to pay to eat. All the men said they asked to go home and even tried to go on strike on board, according to the lawsuit. The boats stayed out at sea while supply ships provided provisions and collected the catch. The men were strapped with debt from food bills and other fees and the threat of fines if they quit, Fryszman said. Bumble Bee had been warned of inhumane conditions in its supply chain over the years, Fryszman said. In 2020, accounts of abusive conditions and forced labor prompted the U.S. to halt imports from a Taiwan-based fishing vessel that reportedly supplied the global tuna trading company that acquired Bumble Bee Seafoods that same year. None of these fishermen worked on that vessel. The lawsuit seeks compensation for their unpaid wages and abuse, Fryszman said. The men are also seeking systemic changes, she said. For example, they want companies like Bumble Bee to require in their contracts that the vessels in their supply chain bring in their catch rather than remain out at sea, and have medical care on board and Wi-Fi service for workers to get help. The global fishing industry has been plagued by labor abuses for years. Congress approved legislation providing the U.S. government with additional authority to crack down on forced labor in 2016 after an Associated Press investigation found that seafood caught by slaves in Southeast Asia was ending up in restaurants and markets around the United States. In 2018, Fryszman represented two Indonesian fishermen who said they were enslaved on an American fishing boat. They settled their lawsuit for an undisclosed amount against the vessel's California-based owner seven years after escaping and receiving special U.S. visas as victims of human trafficking. Watson writes for the Associated Press.
Washington Post
12-03-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee and say the canned tuna giant knew of abuse in its supply chain
SAN DIEGO — Lawyers representing four Indonesian fishermen who say they were beaten and trapped on vessels that were part of the global supply chain that provided tuna to Bumble Bee Seafoods filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the canned seafood giant. It is believed to be the first such case of forced labor at sea brought against a U.S. seafood company, the men's lawyer, Agnieszka Fryszman, said.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee and say the canned tuna giant knew of abuse in its supply chain
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Lawyers representing four Indonesian fishermen who say they were beaten and trapped on vessels that were part of the global supply chain that provided tuna to Bumble Bee Seafoods filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the canned seafood giant. It is believed to be the first such case of forced labor at sea brought against a U.S. seafood company, the men's lawyer, Agnieszka Fryszman, said. U.S. companies that benefit from forced labor and undercut other businesses need to be held accountable, Fryszman said. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'What you see is really devastating,' she said. The lawsuit accuses the company headquartered in San Diego of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The law allows foreigners who suffered from human trafficking to sue U.S. businesses that knew or should have known that they were profiting from forced labor. Bumble Bee did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment. The fisherman are all from villages in Indonesia and worked for longline vessels owned by Chinese companies from which Bumble Bee sourced its albacore tuna, according to the lawsuit. They say they were beaten regularly by their captains. One fisherman named Akhmad, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said he was hit by a metal hook and forced to work even after being injured on the job by a load of fish that gashed open his leg to the bone. Another fisherman, Syafi'i, said he received no medical care for severe burns and was ordered to return to work to pay to eat. All the men said they asked to go home and even tried to go on strike on board, according to the lawsuit. The boats stayed out at sea while supply ships provided provisions and collected the catch. The men were strapped with debt from food bills and other fees and the threat of fines if they quit, Fryszman said. Bumble Bee had been warned of inhumane conditions in its supply chain over the years. In 2020, accounts of abusive conditions and forced labor prompted the U.S. to halt imports from a Taiwan-based fishing vessel that reportedly supplied the global tuna trading company that acquired Bumble Bee Seafoods that same year. None of these fishermen worked on that vessel. The lawsuit seeks compensation for their unpaid wages and abuse, Fryszman said. The men are also seeking systemic changes, she said. For example, they want companies like Bumble Bee to require in their contracts that the vessels in their supply chain bring in their catch rather than remain out at sea, and have medical care on board and Wi-Fi service for workers to get help. The global fishing industry has been plagued by labor abuses for years, with workers subjected to brutal treatment often with little or no pay. Congress approved legislation providing the agency with additional authority to crack down on forced labor in 2016 after an Associated Press investigation found that seafood caught by slaves in Southeast Asia was ending up in restaurants and markets around the United States. In 2018, Fryszman represented two Indonesian fishermen who said they were enslaved on an American fishing boat. They settled their lawsuit for an undisclosed amount against the vessel's California-based owner seven years after escaping and receiving special U.S. visas as victims of human trafficking.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee and say the canned tuna giant knew of abuse in its supply chain
Lawyers representing four Indonesian fishermen who say they were beaten and trapped on vessels that were part of the global supply chain that provided tuna to Bumble Bee Seafoods filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the canned seafood giant. It is believed to be the first such case of forced labor at sea brought against a U.S. seafood company, the men's lawyer, Agnieszka Fryszman, said. U.S. companies that benefit from forced labor and undercut other businesses need to be held accountable, Fryszman said. 'What you see is really devastating,' she said. The lawsuit accuses the company headquartered in San Diego of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The law allows foreigners who suffered from human trafficking to sue U.S. businesses that knew or should have known that they were profiting from forced labor. Bumble Bee did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment. The fisherman are all from villages in Indonesia and worked for longline vessels owned by Chinese companies from which Bumble Bee sourced its albacore tuna, according to the lawsuit. They say they were beaten regularly by their captains. One fisherman named Akhmad, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said he was hit by a metal hook and forced to work even after being injured on the job by a load of fish that gashed open his leg to the bone. Another fisherman, Syafi'i, said he received no medical care for severe burns and was ordered to return to work to pay to eat. All the men said they asked to go home and even tried to go on strike on board, according to the lawsuit. The boats stayed out at sea while supply ships provided provisions and collected the catch. The men were strapped with debt from food bills and other fees and the threat of fines if they quit, Fryszman said. Bumble Bee had been warned of inhumane conditions in its supply chain over the years. In 2020, accounts of abusive conditions and forced labor prompted the U.S. to halt imports from a Taiwan-based fishing vessel that reportedly supplied the global tuna trading company that acquired Bumble Bee Seafoods that same year. None of these fishermen worked on that vessel. The lawsuit seeks compensation for their unpaid wages and abuse, Fryszman said. The men are also seeking systemic changes, she said. For example, they want companies like Bumble Bee to require in their contracts that the vessels in their supply chain bring in their catch rather than remain out at sea, and have medical care on board and Wi-Fi service for workers to get help. The global fishing industry has been plagued by labor abuses for years, with workers subjected to brutal treatment often with little or no pay. Congress approved legislation providing the agency with additional authority to crack down on forced labor in 2016 after an Associated Press investigation found that seafood caught by slaves in Southeast Asia was ending up in restaurants and markets around the United States. In 2018, Fryszman represented two Indonesian fishermen who said they were enslaved on an American fishing boat. They settled their lawsuit for an undisclosed amount against the vessel's California-based owner seven years after escaping and receiving special U.S. visas as victims of human trafficking.
