Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday pledged that the monthly minimum wage would exceed NT$30,000 (US$950) next year, during an award ceremony honoring model workers, including migrant workers, who he said have contributed a great deal to Taiwan.
“I can guarantee to everyone that [the monthly minimum wage] will exceed NT$30,000 next year,” Cho said in a speech at the Taipei ceremony, which was held by the Ministry of Labor ahead of Labor Day tomorrow.
Taiwan has raised its minimum wage for 10 consecutive years, bringing the monthly minimum wage to NT$29,500 and the hourly minimum wage to NT $196, he said.
Photo: CNA
Explaining why he made the pledge, Cho said that Taiwan’s economy has been developing rapidly, with markets across the country showing solid momentum — achievements that he said were “basically made possible by workers’ hard work.”
In Taiwan, minimum wage increases do not require legislative approval, but are set by the Executive Yuan after review by the Minimum Wage Deliberation Committee, which includes government officials, labor and employer representatives, and academics.
Cho also acknowledged the contributions of migrant workers in Taiwan, saying that they had helped Taiwanese society tremendously in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fisheries and family care sectors.
Among the 61 model workers honored this year, 10 were migrant workers, including Gemina Marife Sulay from the Philippines, who has worked in Taiwan as a live-in caregiver for 17 years.
“I feel very happy and very excited because I was selected as a representative of migrant workers,” the 48- year-old said.
Sulay, who was recommended for the award by the Kaohsiung City Government, said that she believes her employer’s satisfaction with her work might have played a role in her selection.
She cited an incident in which she rushed her employer to hospital after the 70-year-old care recipient had a sudden allergic reaction to medication.
“I saved her life,” Sulay said, adding that the woman had turned pale and struggled to call for help.
Also among those honored was Indonesian worker Kholis Intamu, who has worked in Taiwan’s slaughtering sector for nearly 12 years and pursued further training to obtain a forklift operator technician certificate.
Asked why he had obtained the certificate, he said he wants to gain more experience.
“If there is an opportunity to learn, I will take it,” he said.
Kholis Intamu said he hopes to stay in Taiwan long term, adding that he has remained in the country because he finds life “comfortable in every way.”
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,
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