Hundreds of workers from more than 20 labor associations yesterday held demonstrations at various government buildings to protest against the government's failure to protect workers' rights.
More than 600 migrant workers, foreign spouses, unemployed workers and civil service contract employees joined the protest, which was held at various locations including the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), Democratic Progressive Party headquarters and the Presidential Office. They came from labor rights groups such as the Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan, the Labor Rights Association and the Taiwan International Workers' Association.
Their first stop was the CLA building, where they petitioned for labor rights such as “equal work, equal pay,” and urged government officials to stop discrimination in the workplace.
PHOTO: CNA
Protesters carried signs and shouted: “No discrimination, we want equality,” “Stop unemployment, we want jobs” and “The Labor Standards Act [勞動基準法] applies to all.”
Migrant workers from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines were among the groups of demonstrators.
They said they were the first to lose their jobs due to the financial crisis because the Labor Standards Law did not protect foreign household workers. Unequal pay among domestic and foreign workers has also increased hatred and prejudice between the two groups, they said.
Labor Rights Association president Wang Chuan-ping (王娟萍) said: “Domestic and foreign workers are paying the price for the economic downturn.”
In response, CLA Department of Labor Standards Section Chief Wang Chin-yang (王進揚) said the council would hold meetings to discuss whether to include certain workers under the Labor Standards Act, as well as discuss whether to raise the minimum wage in the near future.
A Filipino worker at a factory in Taipei County who wished to be known only as Sam said that migrant workers often suffered illegal treatment.
“Because of the economic crisis, many factories are laying off migrant workers but refuse to pay us the compensation fee required by law,” he said. “They are also required by law to pay us for the remaining [work] contract, but they don’t. Right now, some of the laid-off migrant workers are suing their former employers.”
Marisa Fernandez, a Filipina who works as a caregiver, said that she joined the march partly to support other migrant workers and partly because she felt she was being exploited.
“I work 15 hours a day, I get paid NT$15,840 a month — which is lower than the legal minimum wage,” Fernandez said. “But then I have to pay NT$1,800 to the broker, NT$1,950 in tax and NT$236 for labor insurance.”
Migrante International’s Taiwan Chapter chairman Dave Chang said that Fernandez received a low salary because domestic workers were not covered by the Labor Standards Act.
“I know some migrant workers in factories in Taiwan who are paid only NT$24 per hour,” he said.
Chang is also a Filipino and works in a factory in Taipei County.
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