The number of workers on official furlough programs in the local exports-oriented manufacturing sector decreased by more than 100 in a week, although the number of furloughed workers in the country as a whole rose slightly by 86 during the same period, the Ministry of Labor said yesterday.
The number of furloughed workers in the manufacturing sector fell by 103 from 5,807 on Dec. 15 to 5,704 on Friday, ministry data showed.
However, the number of employers which had furlough programs in place rose to 299 from 296 in the week.
Photo: CNA
Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment Director Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛) said the decline in furloughed workers in the manufacturing sector came about after the food industry received an increase in orders and put more workers back to work.
However, some exporters in the machinery industry had entered negotiations with their employees over furlough programs, and it is possible that the number in the manufacturing sector would rebound, Huang said.
The manufacturing sector is seeing a fall in orders at a time of weakening global demand amid fast-growing inflation, which has prompted global central banks to raise interest rates.
The ministry said the number of workers placed on unpaid leave programs hit 17,958 as of Friday, up from 17,872 as of Dec. 15.
The number of employers which implemented furlough programs rose by 60 to 2,654, it said.
The number of furloughed workers in the support service industry, which is mostly comprised of travel agencies, rose to 7,763 from 7,679 in the week, Huang said.
However, many travel agencies would terminate their unpaid leave programs by the end of this year to meet growing demand after Taiwan eased its pandemic border controls, he added.
Citing the tourism sector, Huang said the number of departures is expected to increase and foreign arrivals in group tours are also expected to rise.
As a result, the support service industry would likely see a fall in furloughed workers next year, he said.
As for the transportation sector, the number of workers placed on unpaid leave programs rose to 952 from 928 in the week, the ministry said.
With the Lunar New Year holiday next month, airline companies are expected to see an improvement and a decline in furloughed workers, Huang said.
Domestic demand is on the rise, which would boost the retail, wholesale and hospitality sectors, so it is likely that employment in those industries would improve next year, he said.
The number of furloughed workers in the retail and wholesale sector rose to 1,633 from 1,577 in the week, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, furloughed workers in the accommodation and catering sectors fell to 895 from 899, the ministry’s data showed.
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