October 14, 2025

Updates from FOSPI on Project Under Democracy at Work Fund

FOSPI Strengthens Union Leadership and Advocacy for Migrant Fishers

During the first phase of the project “Building a Powerful Migrant Fishers Union,” the Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia – Pingtung Migrant Fishers’ Union (FOSPI-PMFU) has made significant progress in strengthening its organizational capacity, union representation, and labor rights advocacy for Indonesian migrant fishers in Taiwan.

Between October 2024 and May 2025, FOSPI intensified its grassroots efforts with fishing communities in Donggang, holding 36 community meetings to raise awareness about the union and identify emerging worker leaders. As a result, the union held its first elections under a new representative voting system, electing 15 worker representatives and 6 alternates, reinforcing the union’s democratic structure.

A major milestone was the transition from a direct voting system to a representative model, tailored to the realities of distant water fleet fishers who spend months at sea with limited access to communication. This change was approved following a union congress and special meetings to revise FOSPI’s bylaws.

FOSPI also initiated legal efforts to enable migrant union leaders to access “white collar” employment visas, which are not subject to the time limits of traditional migrant worker visas. This strategy aims to ensure that key leaders can remain active in the movement and reduce their vulnerability to retaliation. A visa application is currently being tested with one union leader, and an update is expected in the coming weeks.

In collaboration with civil society allies, FOSPI is developing training programs for new members and worker leaders focused on organizing, campaigning, and case handling. The union is also preparing to participate in a delegation to Indonesia in July, where it will present its demands to government officials involved in bilateral labor migration negotiations with Taiwan.

Despite these achievements, FOSPI has faced serious challenges, including intimidation and retaliation from actors in the fishing sector, as well as uncertainty caused by potential shifts in U.S. trade policy affecting Taiwan’s seafood industry. In response, the union has strengthened its transnational advocacy networks and relocated its offices near the port to maintain proximity to fishing communities.

FOSPI remains committed to growing as a union and as a transnational model for migrant worker organizing, promoting fair and dignified working conditions for all Indonesian fishers in Taiwan.