Several dozen former Hualon Corp employees yesterday staged a surprise early morning demonstration in front of Premier Jiang Yi-huah’s (江宜樺) home in Taipei, demanding that the premier help them claim their pensions.
The workers retired from the textiles manufacturer, which declared bankruptcy in 2012, about a decade ago and are claiming an average of NT$1 million (US$33,000) each in unpaid pension.
A court-ordered auction of Hualon’s assets in August provided them with less than NT$3,000 apiece.
Photo: Huang Pang-ping, Taipei Times
As the protesters shouted slogans, a nearby resident used a hose to spray water out of a window at them in an apparent attempt to break up the demonstration.
Following some scuffles with police, the protesters were removed from the area at about 7am, before Jiang left his residence.
The Hualon Self-Help Organization wrote on its official Facebook page: “The premier still slumbers while he allows people to fight among each other.”
Hsu Ren-yuan (徐任遠), the organization’s secretary and a National Taiwan University student, said the group decided to demonstrate in front of the premier’s home after failing to see him two weeks ago when they occupied the lobby of the Ministry of Labor.
Executive Yuan spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said Jiang arrived at work on time at about 8am, adding that the labor ministry is working hard to resolve the case.
Minister of Labor Chen Hsiung-wen (陳雄文) told a news conference in the afternoon that the ministry would like to see a solution that is satisfactory for all parties involved.
However, the Hualon Self-Help Organization should reach a consensus on a concrete plan for compensation, Chen said.
“The problem is that we often do not know who to speak to in the self-help organization,” Chen said.
He added that the former workers, and the lawyers, students and other labor activists in the movement often held different opinions.
“We are not against engaging in dialogue, but we will not be coerced into negotiations,” Chen said.
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