Taipower workers fret over jobs

Employees of Taiwan Power Company (Taipower, 台電) who work at the construction site for the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant expressed concern yesterday in the wake of the plant's cancellation, demanding that their rights and interests not be overlooked.

Taipower managers, however, reiterated yesterday that all employees at the site would be transferred to other positions and that their rights and interests would be protected.

Last Friday, after Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) announced that the plant would be scrapped, Taipower chairman Hsi Shi-chi (席時濟) said at a press conference that about 300 Taipower employees at the construction site would be transferred to other subsidiary offices of Taipower.

However, yesterday morning, a group of Taipower employees not related to Taipower's union held a panel discussion at the construction site in Kungliao township (貢寮鄉), Taipei County, where the plant was being built.

"We want special compensation arrangements in our pensions," said Chen Meng-jung (陳夢榮), a representative for the group.

Chen said that if employees receive no response from Taipower, he would bring together more workers and co-operate with opposition parties to highlight the issue.

Lin Chu-wan (林居萬), Taipower's site manager for the Lungmen Construction Office (龍門施工處) in Kungliao, told the Taipei Times that the workers did not need to fear unemployment.

"I was told [by officials in higher positions] that many of Taipower's thermal plants now under construction will require manpower," Lin said.

Lin said Taipower professionals had skills that enabled them to work at either nuclear or thermal power plants.

Before the decision to scrap the plant was made, representatives from Taipower's union visited the Commission of National Corporations (國營會) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs to officially request the commission to ensure their right to work. The commission responded that it would do so.

Reportedly, there are more than 1,100 people working at the site, including Taipower employees, consultants and contract laborers.

Lin said settling with contracted companies would be more difficult, because heavy financial losses are expected as a result of the plant's cancellation.

Lin, however, stressed that Taipower would deal with the cancellation by following procedures listed in contracts.

Huang Huei-yu (黃惠予), division head of Taipower's public affairs department, told the Taipei Times that repositioning staff would take place step-by-step.

"Some employees still have to stay at the Lungmen construction site for a while to disassemble completed plant components," Huang said.

Huang, however, said that Taipower could not take care of workers hired by Taipower's contracted companies.

Taipower's staff transfers will affect not only personnel at the construction site but also some in nuclear-related departments. The nuclear engineering department, nuclear operations departments, nuclear safety department and others, will have their responsibilities adjusted or reduced. Some, however, expect the re-positioning of high-level officials to be more troublesome.