The “United 6,” a group of workers who were denied pay and stranded on their vessels in Westport, Washington, are shedding light on the harsh realities faced by many fishers around the world. The United 6 are now petitioning for remediation for the violations they endured and will continue to fight for justice to prevent other workers from enduring similar mistreatment. Their demands to their recruitment agency, their employer, and the U.S. and Filipino governments highlight what industry and authorities can do to better uphold the rights of workers. 

From September to December 2023, 24 Filipino fishermen were abandoned on 12 boats in Westport, Washington. These fishers, recruited by the Philippines-based agency Pescadores International and employed by the US-based seafood company McAdams Fish, thought they were signing up for a secure, fair-paying job; Pescadores International and McAdams Fish promised  fair wages and benefits in accordance with contracts ranging from six months to a year. 

To date the fishers have not been paid, and many were denied the chance to visit their families during their time with the company, including one man who could not leave to attend the birth of his child. They were promised monthly salaries and cash advances, which never arrived; instead, they were charged for essential supplies, plunging them into debt. The fishermen faced isolation, inadequate medical care, and unsanitary living conditions on the ships.

Migrant workers around the world are especially vulnerable to exploitation, as they lack the legal protections granted to domestic workers. Migrants working outside of the U.S. but employed by U.S. companies, such as fishers on a boat operating on the high seas, may not need a visa. However, without one, fishermen cannot leave a vessel docked in the U.S.. Because the workers lacked visas, they were confined to their ships, unable to even step onto the dock, effectively trapping them in a legal and physical limbo.

Six of these fishers, calling themselves the “United 6,” took action against the exploitative practices of their employers. Investigations by U.S. agencies and the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) are ongoing. The United 6 demand compensation for their labor, an investigation into McAdams and Pescadores, repatriation, and protections for future workers. They call on the Philippine government to support them with immediate assistance, ensure their safe return, and hold Pescadores accountable. They urge the U.S. government to investigate McAdams Fish, pay owed wages, and nullify accrued debts.

The United 6’s demands  are now gaining international attention, bringing much-needed visibility to the complexities of the global seafood trade. The United 6 have become important figures in the fight for decent work for more than 50 million seafood workers, many of whom face similar predicaments. Their struggle underscores the broader issue of labor abuses in the fishing industry, where forced labor, debt bondage, restricted freedom of movement, document retention, and lack of worker representation are alarmingly common.

FishWise plays a role in addressing these issues by supporting the implementation of human rights due diligence throughout the seafood industry. Recognizing the intersection of environmental and social issues, FishWise works with business partners to build responsible, traceable, and transparent supply chains. Companies have a responsibility to implement human rights due diligence, which includes assessing risks of human and labor issues, developing systems to monitor and, as best as possible, preempt those issues, and remediating them in instances where they arise.