About 200 migrant workers and workers’ rights advocates yesterday rallied in front of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei to push for legislation to guarantee legal protection for domestic workers.
At the heart of the protesters’ demands is a proposed “household service act” that the Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT) — a coalition of grassroots migrants’ rights organizations that organized the protest — has been pushing for since 2003.
Protesters held signs with messages reading “We want legal protection,” “We are not slaves and not products,” and “Stop human trafficking. Stop exploitation.”
Photo: CNA
Representatives of several groups, including MENT members such as the Taipei-based Taiwan International Workers’ Association, the Taoyuan-based Hope Workers’ Center and the Hsinchu Migrants and Immigrants Service Center, as well as supporters such as the Awakening Foundation, took part in the protest.
It has been nearly 30 years since Taiwan first allowed foreign domestic workers following the enactment of the Employment Service Act (就業服務法) in 1992, MENT said, adding that as of October this year, there were 701,240 migrant workers in Taiwan, about 33 percent of whom are domestic workers who are not protected by labor laws.
In October 2004, MENT, which was then named the Promoting Alliance of Household Service Act, proposed a draft “household service act” to protect the rights of domestic workers.
However, the Ministry of Labor never proposed a corresponding version, said the group, which was renamed in 2007.
Ahead of International Migrants Day on Friday, MENT said it would submit an updated version of its “household service act” proposal to the Legislative Yuan, as it urged the Executive Yuan to release its own version of the bill as soon as possible.
However, the ministry said that due to differences in the jobs performed by domestic workers employed by individuals and workers employed by businesses, the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) cannot apply to the former.
There would also be difficulties in pushing for a dedicated law, as it would be hard to distinguish between domestic workers’ working hours and rest periods, given they primarily work in homes, and it would be hard for different groups to reach a consensus on proposed regulations, the ministry said.
The Employment Service Act states that migrant workers should sign a contract with their employer, verified by their home country, before they arrive in Taiwan, the ministry said.
The contract should include items such as employers providing workers with enough rest time, it said, adding that Taiwan also negotiates with countries that are sources of migrant domestic workers on matters such as their minimum wage.
The ministry values the labor rights of migrant domestic workers, but it must also take into consideration the burden on the family members of the nation’s disadvantaged groups who employ them, it said.
It would promote measures to protect the rights of migrant domestic workers, it added.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS