Jeng Tsuen-chyi (
Dubbed by the previous KMT administration as a "labor movement hooligan" (
Although the debate eventually failed to take place, the media called him a "fighting cock," reflecting his reputation for refusing to back down.
During a one-hour exclusive interview yesterday, Jeng said his abilities as a leader were learned the hard way -- and not something he had been born with.
"Over the past 13 years of being involved in social and labor movements, I've been forced to stand up not only for myself but also for underprivileged groups," Jeng said.
His enthusiasm for the labor movement stems partly from his humble background. Coming from a farming family in rural Taipei, Jeng said that he knew first-hand the plight and suffering of blue-collar workers.
"I saw the gap between the poor and the rich, and how the disadvantaged were bullied by the rich and powerful," he said.
Jeng said his personality underwent a great transformation after he immersed himself fully in the labor movement in 1988.
"I used to be quiet, soft-spoken and shy," said Jeng, who looks more like a civilian than a government official as he is rarely seen in a suit and tie.
After completing his two-year compulsory military service in 1976, Jeng got a teaching job at a vocational college and volunteered to provide counseling to young people.
Later, he received a master's degree in education from Harvard University in the US in 1986. But Jeng says he was eager to return to his home country.
Upon his return, he worked as a labor reporter at a Chinese-language daily for over a year, but was fired in 1988 because he helped the newspaper's employees form a union.
His most memorable moment came in 1993 when he formed the Labor Legislation Action Council (
"The road the labor movement has travelled has been long and bumpy."
"What I've learned over the years is that workers simply cannot depend on anyone -- not the government nor me -- to get what they want for themselves," he said.
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