By 
Hanif Ardiningrum Khansa
Cooley Lin, May 20, 2022
Twelve Indonesian fishermen have launched a landmark lawsuit against U.S. seafood giant Bumble Bee, alleging they endured beatings, starvation, and $0.50/hour wages while catching tuna for global markets. The explosive lawsuit–filed in California–could expose how big corporations profit from modern slavery in Southeast Asian supply chains.
Four Indonesian fishermen have launched a landmark lawsuit against U.S. seafood titan Bumble Bee, alleging horrific labour abuses aboard Taiwanese-flagged tuna vessels that supplied the company’s global markets. The plaintiffs detail a litany of violations, including excessive working periods, physical beatings, confiscated personal identity documents, and threats from going home–practices comparable to modern-day slavery.
The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court under the U.S. human trafficking laws, marks the first time Indonesian migrant workers have directly sued a major U.S. seafood corporation over labour abuses. The lawsuit documents systemic cruelty. First, the crews paid up to $3,500 in recruitment fees–a sum many borrowed at predatory rates–trapping them in cycles of debt. There is also evidence showing violence and threats in which the captains allegedly used gashing, stabbing, beating, and starvation to punish “slow workers”. Moreover, workers earned $0.50/hour (far below Indonesia’s minimum wage) with pay withheld for months, and some received no compensation at all.
Bumble Bee has acknowledged the reports, particularly one produced by Greenpeace USA, but refused to take immediate measures. As Chris Lischewski, Bumble Bee’s former CEO, stated, “As for the report on Taiwan, I have printed it but have not yet taken the time to read it. It is not high on my priority list”. (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2025). There is no indication whether the company has stopped gathering supplies from the vessels even with the ongoing investigation.
The case has drawn support from the U.S. State Department and human rights groups, who call it a litmus test for corporate accountability in global fisheries (CNN Business, 2025). If successful, the lawsuit could compel Bumble Bee to pay millions in damages and reform its sourcing practices. The fishermen seek compensation for unpaid wages, trafficking penalties, and a court order mandating third-party monitoring of Bumble Bee’s suppliers.
At last, the story is not just about Bumble Bee. The case spotlights how Southeast Asian migrant workers—often recruited from impoverished villages—face rampant exploitation in global supply chains. A survey of 3,396 Indonesian fishers in 18 ports shows over 90 percent of the respondents lack a written work contract (International Labour Organization, 2025). It exposes how wealthy nations are profiting from a system that treats Southeast Asian employees as disposable.
Sources and further readings:
USA: Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee Seafoods over forced labor allegations
Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee in forced labor case
Indonesian fishers are still vulnerable to exploitation
Indonesian fishermen sue US food giant Bumble Bee in landmark forced labour case
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