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Unions renew complaints about proposed revisions

Representatives of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions and several other labor groups yesterday reiterated their opposition to proposed revisions to the Labor Union Act (工會法), which they said would harm rather than benefit workers' unions.

Unions are opposed to the revisions because they would grant the Council of Labor Affairs the power to suspend union activities and even fire union officials over union activities the council considered illegal.

The groups also expressed skepticism about a clause in the amendments that would set minimum levels on union membership fees, saying it would lessen workers' willingness to join the unions and therefore decrease the influence and negotiating power of unions.

“People who have never been educated on the importance of labor unions will be deterred from joining by the high union fees,” said Chiang Chien-hsing (江健興), president of the Kaohsiung City Confederation of Trade Unions.

“Instead of setting minimum levels, the act should instead put a cap on membership fees,” he said.

The amendments also propose removing a clause in the Labor Union Act that makes membership mandatory for industries and firms with unions.

The activists said that removal of the mandatory membership clause would destroy the unions and labor rights movements.

They said they were upset not only because of the proposed amendments to the law, but also because they felt legislators had tricked them.

The legislature is scheduled to review the amendments today without first holding a public hearing, as was promised, they said.

At the press conference, the union representatives held up signs protesting the amendments and shouted in unison, “President Ma [Ying-jeou (馬英九)] ignores election promises.”

National Federation of Bank Employees Unions chairman Lai Wan-chih (賴萬枝) said they were planning to take to the streets in protests if their demands were not met.
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