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Combatting unacceptable forms of work in the Thai fishing and seafood industry (Better Fisheries Programme) - Final evaluation

eval_number:

2547

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/2547

location:

country:

Thailand

region:

Asia and the Pacific

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eval_title:

Combatting unacceptable forms of work in the Thai fishing and seafood industry (Better Fisheries Programme) - Final evaluation

recommendations:

date:

2020-05-22 00:00:00.0

themes:

theme:

Constituents

category:

Trade Union - capacity building

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action_plan:

The DWCP and the new project explicitly target workers' empowerment and organization as fundamental to the project and supporting organizations to provide legal services. The new project is designed in light of these recommendations. Specifically the following actions are addressing this recommendation: Improved availability of accurate information, awareness and support on migration and labour rights to migrants, their families and communities throughout the migration process, from pre-departure to post-admission and reintegration and Increased opportunities for migrant workers in the fishing and seafood processing sectors to develop skills, to organize, to support and inform each other, to receive support from workers’ organizations and to engage with Governments and employers to claim their rights in all countries. Specifically, this set of recommendations is being addressed through: communication materials for pre-decision of migrants: assessment of the need for MRCs and support new MRCs in key locations, and provide capacity building to workers’ organizations and trade unions to provide services and empower migrant workers; development and support to implementation of pre-departure training curriculum for the targeted sectors; support to sustainable reintegration of migrants and; promotion of bilateral dialogues between worker’s organizations and trade unions in countries of origin and destination. In addition, the issues raised are being addressed through the provision of information and services, including legal assistance, through MRCs and building capacity of workers’ organizations; support to workers’ organization and expansion of unionization; and skills development and language training for workers

management_response:

Partially Completed

progress:

Partially achieved

admin_units:

CO-Bangkok

title:

Narrow the focus of migrant services, emphasizing the establishment of well-functioning worker organizations and the provision of legal assistance to migrant workers (Objective 4).  Support worker organizations. The activities of union organizers like ITF/FRN and SERC/SSWG should be supported. Unions have the potential to change employer-worker dynamics within the fishing and seafood pricessing sectors, allowing workers to have a direct role in securing their legal rights and advancing their economic interests. This should be coupled with efforts to promote legal reforms related to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.  Provide legal assistance to migrant workers, focusing specifically on potential violations of law by employers. Much of the activities carried under the banner of legal counselling actually deals with helping migrant workers navigate government administrative procedure. These might be better handled by migrant worker assistance centers or CSOs that focus on migrant services and are supported by other funders. Project resources should be allocated to help migrants understand their rights and seek legal redress in the event that employers violate the law. Given the need for an on-going physical presence, legal assistance centers, staffed by lawyers, would need to be established in all port areas targeted for this type of assistance. These centers should employ case management systems and prepare publicly available reports on the intake, status, and resolution of cases. This type of public report is needed to advance systemic change. If this type of organization does not exist, effort should be made to build it.  Do not incorporate welfare services in future projects. These services, while important, are not central to the achievement of project objectives and given finite resources should not be funded through the project. Charitable organizations might be better supported though charitable foundations.

project_symbols:

THA/15/03/EUR

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/recommendations/14192

information_source:

Country Office

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