The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) is facing a boycott by labor groups over its "flexitime" policy, a practice which allows employers to utilize man-hours more economically, but which could also mean more stress and less pay for workers.
While yesterday marked the third month since CLA Chairman Chen Chu (
The Executive Yuan announced in mid-June that it had successfully brokered a consensus between labor groups and industry representatives to have the workweek reduced to 44 hours.
However, on the same day the KMT came up with a proposal to reduce working hours to 84 hours every two weeks. The proposal was successfully pushed through the legislature on June 17.
Industries have protested the change and vigorously lobbied to have the amendment overturned, or to at least be allowed the flexibility to arrange man-hours according to production cycles.
Such an arrangement would allow employers to concentrate work time without breaking the fortnight limitation in cases where they have to rush to meet production deadlines.
In view of strong protests from industrial leaders, the CLA is seeking adjustments that would allow this flexibility without infringing on labor rights. However, it appears little progress will be made as industry and labor groups are apparently far apart over the issue.
The nation's employers say that productivity will suffer serious setbacks when weekly working hours are reduced on Jan. 1 next year. They urged the government to propose modifications to "flexitime" legislation as a way for employers to more economically utilize the diminished man-hours.
But labor groups have condemned the flexitime proposal. They say the measures would allow employers to enforce extended working hours, which could put laborers under extreme stress and deprive them of overtime pay during extended shifts.
The CLA has scheduled three public hearings on the workweek issue, the first on Aug. 30, followed by others on Sept. 4 and Sept. 7.
Chen originally expected that the meetings would be attended by industry and labor leaders, but labor groups yesterday refused Chen's invitations, saying they feel the CLA has tilted its support in favor of employers.
"We oppose any form of conference that the government holds under pressure from the employers. And it's impossible for us labor groups to take part in the CLA's public hearings with preconditions having been laid," said Lin Hui-kuan (
With the boycott by labor groups, Chen decided yesterday to cancel the first public hearing. But she said she will continue to negotiate with the labor groups about their participation in the other two.
At a press conference, Chen mapped out the CLA's plans for the future, which include raising the quality of manpower, ensuring safe working environments and improving the well-being of laborers.
LONG FLIGHT: The jets would be flown by US pilots, with Taiwanese copilots in the two-seat F-16D variant to help familiarize them with the aircraft, the source said The US is expected to fly 10 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70/72 jets to Taiwan over the coming months to fulfill a long-awaited order of 66 aircraft, a defense official said yesterday. Word that the first batch of the jets would be delivered soon was welcome news to Taiwan, which has become concerned about delays in the delivery of US arms amid rising military tensions with China. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the initial tranche of the nation’s F-16s are rolling off assembly lines in the US and would be flown under their own power to Taiwan by way
OBJECTS AT SEA: Satellites with synthetic-aperture radar could aid in the detection of small Chinese boats attempting to illegally enter Taiwan, the space agency head said Taiwan aims to send the nation’s first low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite into space in 2027, while the first Formosat-8 and Formosat-9 spacecraft are to be launched in October and 2028 respectively, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council laid out its space development plan in a report reviewed by members of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee. Six LEO satellites would be produced in the initial phase, with the first one, the B5G-1A, scheduled to be launched in 2027, the council said in the report. Regarding the second satellite, the B5G-1B, the government plans to work with private contractors
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he