Despite written in black and white in a publication, the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) denied that it promised a group of laid-off workers 16 years ago that it would ask their runaway employers to repay a loan given to the workers as retirement payouts, triggering criticism from the public.
In 1997, when several companies — including Lien-fu Textile Co (聯福紡織), Dong-ling Electronics Co (東菱電子) and Fu-chang Electronics Co (福昌電子) — closed their doors without prior notice and their bosses declared bankruptcy, the council assisted the newly jobless workers by giving them retirement payouts using government funds, and promised that it would ask their employers, not the workers themselves, to repay the debt.
However, in recent years, many of these workers have received requests from the CLA asking them to repay their loans, and those who were unable to pay have been sued by the council.
The workers, as well as labor rights groups, have petitioned and staged numerous protests, including paralyzing the rail service at Taipei Railway Station on Tuesday.
On Thursday, some Internet users found a book on the history of the labor movement published by the CLA in 2011, in which Hsu Chieh-kui (許介圭), who served as the head of the council in 1997, was quoted as saying that the council did not intend to ask the workers to repay their loans, but would ask their employers to pay back the full amount.
However, the council yesterday denied that the official publication represents the council’s official view.
“The writing of the book was commissioned to a group of researchers. What it represents are the views of the researchers, as well as reports by media outlets at the time,” a council statement said. “The content of the book represents neither the official view nor the basis on which the government handles the issue.”
The CLA’s response triggered criticism from Internet users.
“If an official publication does not represent the official view, then what is it good for?” a Facebook user called Tsung-ying (蹤影) said.
“Bu it’s written in black on white!” said another Facebook user, Nicole Lin (林凱雯).
In addition to the book, CLA officials were at the time quoted by several newspapers, including the Chinese-language United Evening News and Economic Daily News, as saying that the money given to the workers was to be repaid by their employers, not the workers themselves.
CLA Minister Pan Shih-wei (潘世偉) did not respond to the Taipei Times’ request for comment.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College