Laid-off workers of the Hualon Group and their supporters clashed with police yesterday as they tried to enter the Miaoli County Government building during a demonstration, calling on county officials to help them secure pension payments owed by their former employer.
“I want my pension, [Miaoli County Commissioner] Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻), take up your responsibility and take care of this problem,” more than 200 protesters shouted, as they clashed with police.
Their attempts to enter the building failed as they were pushed back by police, who said the demonstration was illegal. Several of the protesters, including Youth Alliance for Defense of Miaoli member Chen Wei-ting (陳為廷), was held down by officers.
Photo: CNA
Chen was also one of the leaders of the Sunflower movement that occupied the legislative chamber earlier this year.
Unable to go inside the building, demonstrators stamped and threw paint at pictures of the county commissioner.
“It is the responsibility of the local labor authority to keep an eye on businesses, to make sure that they allocate funds for their employees’ pension. Obviously, the Miaoli County Government has failed to fulfill its duty,” former Hualon employee Lee Tsui-ming (李翠明) said. “Because of that, as many as 336 former Hualon employees — including myself — are owed a total of NT$310 million [US$10.3 million] in pension payments since we were laid off.”
Photo: CNA
“A Control Yuan investigation has said that county officials are responsible for what happened to us, and yet no one has come to our assistance,” Lee added.
A county government official later talked to the protesters.
Labor Affairs and Social Resources Department Director Yang Kai-chin (楊開錦) said that since there is no longer a work contract between the Hualon Group and the former employees, “the money that the Hualon Group owes to its former employees is a private debt dispute that has nothing to do with the county government, and should be resolved through legal channels.”
As for the Control Yuan report accusing the county government of failing its duties, Yang said the case has been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice and he cannot make a comment until the ministry makes a decision.
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