Despite goodwill gestures by the Cabinet yesterday, the National Teachers Association (NTA) said that its plan to take to the streets on Sept. 28 for Teachers' Day to protest for the right to form labor unions remains unchanged.
"The point of our Sept. 28 demonstration is to have a dialogue with society, to clear up misunderstanding the public has about our bid to earn the right to form our own labor unions," said Wu Chung-tai (吳忠泰), NTA secretary-general.
The association's decision came shortly after its some 140 members met with Premier Yu Shyi-kun and other Cabinet officials at the Executive Yuan yesterday afternoon.
During the 90-minute meeting, which was closed to the press except for Yu's remarks, Yu accented the importance of interaction and communication between teachers and the government.
"There must be something wrong with the communication process, otherwise you [the teachers] wouldn't need to take to the streets to have your voices heard," Yu said, visibly displeased with Minister of Education Huang Jong-tsun (黃榮村), who sat next to him.
While it will take time for the education ministry to correct its wrongs, Yu said he is willing to listen to teachers' problems first hand.
"As the nation's highest administrative leader, it's my responsibility to deal with all domestic problems and make sure related departments carry out government policies accordingly and effectively," he said.
Regarding the association's request to form labor unions, Yu said he supports the idea.
"It's a global trend and basic human right to form labor unions," Yu said. "The government will form a task force to hammer out a comprehensive plan to deal with the problem, which is complicated in nature."
Under the Labor Union Law (工會法), national defense, the civil service and the education sector have been banned from forming unions. The Council of Labor Affairs had tried to include the three sectors under a new amendment to the Labor Union Law. The proposal, however, failed to pass in the Executive Yuan because of opposition from the education ministry, which claimed that teachers are public servants and should not enjoy the right to strike.
Yu, however, stood firm on the Cabinet's recent plan to restore income tax on schoolteachers.
"Taxation is an obligation all people should fulfil, including teachers," Yu said. "While we'll take money from your pockets, we'll also make up the amount taken and that's a promise."
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting yesterday, Wu noted Yu's goodwill, but said the march wasn't just meant to reach the Cabinet.
"We appreciate [Premier] Yu's understanding and support of our right to form labor unions," said Wu. "We will, however, still proceed forward with our Sept. 28 demonstration, for it is society and not the Executive Yuan with whom we wish to hold constructive dialogue."
Wu said the public as a whole harbors a misunderstanding concerning the teachers' call for a labor union and that through a march, the NTA hopes to construct a dialogue with the public to make its stand known.
"A street demonstration does not necessarily mean opposition, but rather, to open dialogue with society," Wu stressed.
Wu added that the NTA's plea is supported also by Education International (IE), an international organization of educators that covers 311 member organizations in 159 countries and regions.
Wu added that the NTA had forwarded the IE's endorsement letter to Yu yesterday.
The government has planned to use the annual additional income of NT$9 billion to increase teachers' salaries in addition to improving school facilities.
The Cabinet on Aug. 21 approved draft amendments to the Income Tax Law (所得稅法), which would make it mandatory for soldiers and teachers to pay income tax for the first time in 47 years. If all goes smoothly, the tax exemptions would be abolished as early as January.
Soldiers and teachers of junior high schools and down have been exempt from paying income tax since 1955.
Yu also rebuffed media reports that the Cabinet will decrease the 18 percent preferential interest rate on savings enjoyed by soldiers, schoolteachers and government employees.
"We've never planned to do so nor have we made such a remark," Yu said.
The TSU recently has proposed to halve the 18 percent interest rate so the money saved could be used to extend the senior stipend program to low-income and handicapped citizens aged 65 and older.
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