Many Taiwanese work overtime, but wages have not been raised for years and generally overtime is not paid, Ministry of Labor statistics show, with some academics saying low average wages nationwide are to blame.
Average working hours totaled 2,104 in 2015, the fourth-highest number in the world, ministry data showed.
While the data suggests that Taiwanese work less than eight hours a day, irregular unpaid overtime hours might be hidden in the statistics.
Manufacturing and industrial sectors workers in April averaged 153.9 work hours, a Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics survey showed.
Overtime averages 8.1 hours per month, with industrial workers doing 13.4 hours and service industry workers doing four hours.
Chen, who works for an agency that helps students apply to overseas schools, said she earns NT$35,000 per month. However, she often works 60 hours overtime per month, sometimes more than 170 hours if standby hours are taken into account.
She said her social life and sleep quality have been sacrificed, which lowers her average wage.
Lee, who is a lawyer, said he has to work more than 50 hours overtime per month which are unpaid.
Since the “one fixed day off and one flexible rest day” policy came into effect last year, average household income has been reduced by NT$10,000, General Chamber of Commerce chairman Lai Cheng-i (賴正鎰) said on Tuesday.
The increase of irregular wages, such as overtime and performance bonus pay, along with a stagnation of regular wages has led most workers to exchange their time for money, Working Poor and Tax Policy Research Center convener Hung Ching-shu (洪敬舒) said.
Although the service sector contributes about 60 percent to the nation’s GDP, the number of service workers has surpassed the contribution, which shows wages in the sector are generally low, he said.
Manufacturing sector workers, who contribute 40 percent of GDP, have tried to raise their wages by working overtime, he said.
The government should help workers distinguish different types of pay, such as regular and irregular wages, so that workers can fight for their rights, instead of following what employers say, he said.
Individual wages often grow in proportion to working hours, but when wages reach a certain level, the proportion is altered and employees do not have to work longer hours for more money, National Chengchi University Institute of Labor Research professor Cheng Chih-yu (成之約) said.
Workers willing to work overtime are more respected, but the issue is generally low wages, he said.
To improve wages, workers’ basic rights should be promoted, either through individuals or unions, Cheng said, adding that the government should enforce regulations.
“When no consensus can be reached, workers’ basic rights are neglected and even sacrificed,” he said.
EVA Airways was ranked the eighth-best airline in the world for this year, the only Taiwanese carrier to make it into the top 25 Airline Excellence Awards this year, aviation reviews Web site AirlineRatings.com said on Wednesday. AirlineRatings.com has a seven-star rating system to evaluate more than 360 airlines around the world every year, EVA Airways said in a statement on Thursday. “We are delighted that efforts by the entire EVA staff have been recognized by Airline Ratings,” EVA Airways president Clay Sun (孫嘉明) said in the release. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company identified and adopted services and procedures that enhance and
Exiled Chinese democracy advocate Wang Dan (王丹) yesterday denied an accusation by former Taiwanese political worker Lee Yuan-chun (李援軍) that Wang had sexually harassed him in a hotel room in New York nine years ago. There was a huge gap between Lee’s accusation and his own understanding and memory, Wang wrote on Facebook, adding it was hard for him to respond further regarding a “unilateral description” made by someone else. Wang made the remarks after his initial response on Facebook was met with criticism, with people saying he did not directly address the allegation. Lee on Friday wrote on Facebook that he
‘NEGLIGENCE’: After reporting the incident, her superior allegedly asked her why she did not scream, which was an inappropriate attempt to ignore the allegations, critics said An accusation of sexual harassment led to the resignation of a top Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) official, while President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has called for a thorough investigation into the incident involving a contractor. Vice President and DPP Chairman William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said he approved the resignation of DPP deputy secretary-general Hsu Chia-tien (許嘉恬), who headed the party’s Women’s Development Department when the alleged incident happened in September last year. “Gender equality is among our party’s core values, that we have strived for and advanced along with Taiwanese society,” Lai said. “The DPP did not handle it appropriately at the time,
#METOO MOVEMENT: A woman who formerly worked at the TPP said that she was repeatedly harassed by a party deputy secretary last year and it was covered up Vice President and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman William Lai (賴清德) yesterday announced new party procedures for filing complaints and investigating reports of sexual misconduct in response to more accusations of negligence against the party in handling reports of sexual abuse. In what local media dubbed Taiwan’s #MeToo movement, more people went public yesterday with allegations about the DPP, other parties and local governments. Lai said he deeply regrets the situation and apologized to the victims, while also praising them for having the courage to come forward. “When facing bullying and violations in the workplace, it is most important to stand up to
RSS