Five Americans may face deportation for participating in a hunger strike and demonstrations over Taiwan-US labor disputes.
"Since our arrival, we have been approached by the Foreign Affairs Police and been told that what we are doing is in violation of the Taiwanese law as we are foreigners. Yesterday, we were threatened that if we continue with what we are doing here in Taiwan, we may face possible deportation," said Joe Drexler, director of special projects at the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers' International Union (PACE).
Five Americans with PACE held a hunger strike outside China Synthetic Rubber Corp yesterday, following a similar protest outside the offices of Taiwan Cement last Friday to draw attention to their grievances with the Koo Group.
According to Drexler, he and the other members of his group stated on their entry visas that the purpose of their visit was "business," and they listed their occupations as "labor union members."
"We felt that holding protests and demonstrations were the only way we could communicate with the Koo family regarding our labor disputes," Drexler said.
Tony Tsao (
"The Foreign Affairs Police does not threaten anyone, but has simply informed these foreigners that what they are doing is against the law. If the purpose of their visit was business and yet they are holding demonstrations, they are in violation of the law," Tsao said.
The PACE protesters also paid a visit to the American Institute in Taiwan yesterday to inform its officials of their possible deportation.
The protesters were employed by Continental Carbon, an Oklahoma-based subsidiary of the Koo Group, until a lockout three years ago revoked all employment contracts pending workers' agreement to a new contract that would have made union membership impossible.
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