President-elect Chen Shui-bian (
"I will keep my word on the labor policy I announced in the Feb. 29 televised platform presentation and in the labor treaty I signed on March 12," Chen said to a group of some 50 labor leaders and industrial representatives.
On March 12, Chen pledged that if elected he would reduce the current 48-hour workweek to 44 by year's end, and to 40 hours by 2002.
On Feb. 29, Chen announced his position on 10 major issues. These included offering 100,000 public service jobs to "marginalized" workers, reviewing the privatization process of state-owned companies, and reform of workers' pension funds. He also said he would recognize the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions (TCTU) as a legal national union organization.
Chen yesterday focused on two principles that would be necessary in carrying out his policy. "Reform has to take place with stability; and it cannot be done overnight," he said. "No reform would be made possible if people are so intimidated that they want to emigrate to another country and transfer their money overseas."
Chen also encouraged labor groups to take full advantage of governmental channels to voice their concerns.
"Responsibility for making reform possible does not fall upon the shoulders of the president and the premier alone. We have various governmental units taking care of various labor issues, so do make the most of it and try to let your voice be heard," he said.
His appointment for the position of Council of Labor Affairs chairman, Chen said, would be the best Taiwan had ever had. Without elaborating, Chen said this person would be "from the working class."
The president-elect also pledged to bring an organized labor representative into his National Policy Advisory Committee to assume a genuine -- not merely symbolic -- position.
Comparing the government to a company, Chen said the company head -- the president -- should work together with the general manager -- the premier -- to act in the interests of the company, and should be responsible to the company's real boss, the shareholders -- in this case, the people.
"The era of one-party rule is over. Now it has become the era of the people. I don't want to be the president of one party; instead, I want to be the president of the people," he said.
"The power of the president is neither inborn nor deserving, instead it is bestowed upon by the people, so whatever policies or laws are being made, they should be made in the interest of the people."
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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