The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) announced on Thursday night that the minimum wage would not be adjusted this year.
Since July 2007, the minimum monthly wage of NT$17,280 and minimum hourly wage of NT$95 have remained at the same level. This is the second consecutive year that the council has announced it would not adjust wages.
The global financial crisis has triggered a deep and prolonged economic downturn in the country, which has lead to a dramatic decrease in the number of job openings, which in turn has led to an increase in the number of people looking for work and therefore the council has decided not to adjust the minimum wage this year, council officials said.
The council said the decision was made in order to maximize job opportunities for the unemployed and that the committee would assess whether to adjust the minimum wage at about the same time next year.
The council’s evaluation committee, which consists of council officials, academics and representatives from business and labor groups, on Thursday had a heated debate over whether to adjust the minimum wage.
Labor groups, such as the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions (TCTU), protested that the government refused to listen to workers’ needs.
“Labor groups petitioned President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on the issue of the minimum wage, but we never got a reply,” TCTU president Ren Mu-shan (任睦杉) said.
Ren said the current minimum wage was not enough to cover the basic cost of living and he urged the government to increase the minimum wage to ensure the well-being of workers.
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