More than 1,000 workers from the Taiwan International Workers’ Association and other labor groups took to the streets yesterday, urging the government to protect the rights of migrant workers.
The workers started their demonstration at Taipei Main Station and marched to the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), where they shouted phrases such as “I want a break!” and “CLA, stop dragging your feet!”
To symbolize the council’s continued failure to protect the rights of migrant domestic workers, the workers held slippers in their hands and threw them toward the council building.
PHOTO: CNA
The groups said they threw slippers because the Chinese word for slippers (拖鞋) sounds similar to the phrase for putting off a task.
“Even though our country has ratified the Act Governing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [公民與政治權利國際公約及經濟社會文化權利國際公約施行法], more than 170,000 migrant workers are not yet protected from basic rights violations, such as being forced to work long hours with no break,” association Secretary-General Ku Yu-ling (顧玉玲) said.
Although some migrant workers are allowed personal leave by their employers, it is still a privilege and not a legally protected right, she said.
Aside from having no break, other issues that plague migrant workers who are not protected under the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) include having to work even when they are sick, being subjected to discrimination and having limited privacy and freedom.
Since 2003, the labor groups have held a biennial protest against such violations. Yesterday’s protest was the fourth.
The workers urged the council to stop dragging its feet and vowed to continue fighting for their rights.
In response, the council said it was drafting legislation to protect the rights of foreign domestic workers, but was still working on matters including arranging for alternate workers when a caretaker is off duty.
Many people who rely on the care of foreign workers live alone or with families that cannot care for them full-time if the caretaker takes any time off.
The council said its proposal would be completed at the beginning of next year.
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