Academics and labor representatives discussed the problem of how to resolve work disputes yesterday, offering suggestions to strengthen the right to strike.
As part of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the Taiwan Labour Front, labor association representatives and academics gathered to examine labor policies and potential improvements.
During the panel discussion, Lin Chia-ho (林佳和), an assistant professor of law at National Chengchi University, criticized a proposed amendment to the Settlement of Labor-Management Disputes Act (勞資爭議處理法) that would require workers in certain industries to provide a “minimum level” of service in the event of a strike.
The Cabinet approved amendments earlier this month that would remove some obstacles to going on strike, with provisions for utilities and other key services.
Current legislation stipulates that union members must vote in person at an assembly on whether to strike. If the amendments pass, union members would be able to vote by other means.
But the amendment would require water, electric and gas utilities, medical institutions and financial institutions such as the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the Taiwan Futures Exchange, Taiwan Depository & Clearing, GRETAI Securities Market and Financial Information Service to provide a “minimum level” of service in the event of a strike.
The definition of “minimum level” is to be agreed upon between workers and employers prior to the strike.
“If I were a corporate lawyer, I would tell the employers not to reach the agreement on a ‘minimum level’ so the workers would never be able to go on strike,” Lin said.
Professor Liu Mei-chun (劉梅君) of National Chengchi University’s Institute for Labour Research urged government officials to avoid forcing workers to turn to the courts to settle disputes, saying “it just doesn’t work.”
“Disputes about rights items can only be solved through judicial procedures, but in reality, suing is a long and hard road for workers,” she said.
The proposed amendment specifies “rights items” as disputes over wages and overtime pay and stipulates that they cannot be negotiated by going on strike.
Disputes over these items can only be handled through mediation according to the amendment.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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