Labor groups head to HK to appeal to Beijing

Labor groups want to talk to Beijing directly about increased capital flows from Taiwan to China, saying Taiwan's government has been too slow to act on the issue.

A delegation made up of labor groups plan to demonstrate outside the Hong Kong branch of the Xinhua News Agency (新華社香港分社) on Nov. 14.

The Hong Kong protest is aimed at drawing attention to labor issues in the event that cross-strait talks resume.

The groups want Taiwan's government to do more to protect the rights of workers who are left jobless when their employer moves factories to China, said Wu Yung-yi (吳永毅), a coordinator for the Committee of Actions of Labor Legislature (工人立法行動委員會).

But the government has often said that it is powerless to prevent companies from shifting their manufacturing base to China, Wu said.

Organizers would not say exactly what their mission to Hong Kong would be, except that they hoped to call attention to the impact capital flight has on Taiwan workers.

"With this trip, we're hoping Chinese authorities will understand Taiwan laborers' misfortune and see what [Chinese authorities] can do for us," Wu said.

The labor groups announced the Hong Kong trip yesterday outside the Council of Labor Affairs.

Since 1988, Taiwan labor groups have staged a united demonstration in the autumn of every year -- except last year, when it was canceled due to the 921 earthquake.

This year's march, however, was postponed because of an overlap with a planned anti-nuclear march. The groups decided to push it back until March 18 next year, the anniversary of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) election.

In the past few years, the main objective of the autumn march has always been "against [company] closures, against joblessness."

Through the marches, laborers have successfully won measures to include unemployment insurance in the government's social security policy.

Labor groups said, though, that they could do little to prevent Taiwan employers from moving their businesses to China.

In response to the growing phenomenon, the groups decided to extend the domestic event across the Strait this year. According to the groups, they had wanted to go to Beijing to demonstrate, but were refused permission by Chinese authorities.

On Nov. 12, the groups will hold a symbolic ritual outside the Presidential Office. Soon after that, the delegation will leave for Hong Kong.