In a strong move, the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) workers' union yesterday released a seven-point statement regarding party employee rights that it hopes the future chairman will adhere to. Both chairmanship candidates also yesterday pledged to support workers rights if they are elected.
In an effort to draw attention to a chairmanship race the union claims has ignored party employees' concerns, the KMT union released the statement yesterday morning entitled "Our expectations for the chairmanship" candidates, and lists the union's seven main points of concern.
The statement called on the new chairman to: unite the party and regain control of the government, negotiate on a regular basis with the union and repair the estranged relationship between the party's workers and its employer, guarantee employee rights by paying retired workers their pensions in full, establish and follow rules detailing the responsibilities of both workers and employers, follow the KMT's 2002 downsizing plan by allowing workers to retire instead of laying them off, make the pension plans of retired employees a top priority after the KMT's financial troubles are settled, and to sign an agreement regulating the interaction between the party and the union.
PHOTO: CNA
The union produced the statement yesterday morning before holding a meeting at their employers.
While chairmanship candidate and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was on hand to personally pledge his support for the workers, his competitor, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) sent a representative from his campaign office.
Speaking at the KMT's headquarters yesterday, Ma said that if made chairman, he will "immediately" work to achieve all of the union's demands. With the possible exception of being able to pay retired employees' pensions in full, added Ma, he believes he can achieve all the union's other conditions.
"Even though I have never managed the party's finances, I have still been a mayor for six years. During these years, the budget and personnel of the city government have been downsized, but the city government is still working," the mayor said.
"Do not underestimate me," he added, while signing the posters put up by the union detailing their requests.
In contrast, Wang's representative, Wang Chih-kang (王志剛), announced his promises to the union: to facilitate timely pension payments to retired workers in full each month, to arrange regular meetings between the KMT and the union each year to determine the direction of party operations, and to use the money from the sale of the party's assets to not only pay workers' pensions, but also to contribute to the sustainability of the party.
The statement marks the union's attempt to solidify the chairmanship candidates' promises during their campaigns. Given the KMT's beleaguered financial situation, the party has had a troubled relationship with its employees. Besides aggravating the union with its plans to downsize staff from 1,700 people to a mere 600 within the next two years, the party has also had trouble in the past year paying employee salaries on time.
In response to the situation, the union has said previously it is considering a strike on July 16, the date of the party chairmanship election.
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