Sat, Oct 17, 2015 page3

• DPP slams claims of pressuring unions

  CARROT AND STICK: Two major confederations of trade unions denied a report alleging the DPP had offered incentives or threatened them to ensure their support

  • By Alison Hsiao and Abraham Gerber / Staff reporters
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  The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday slammed a trade union boss and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Central Committee member for alleging that the DPP had been using “treats or threats” to lure or pressure state-run enterprises’ bosses and labor unions to support the party.

  The Chinese-language China Times published a report yesterday claiming that top public enterprises officials and labor unions were moving to support the DPP — which is widely expected to return to power in next year’s elections — by offering benefits or threatening to “clip the wings” of uncooperative unions.

  Taiwan Petroleum Workers’ Union chairman Chuang Chueh-an (莊爵安) was quoted in the story as saying that the DPP had been using the “carrot-and-stick” approach to entice state-run enterprises and unions. The story did not mention that Chuang is also a member of the KMT’s Central Committee.

  

  Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen, second left, visits Keelung yesterday to canvass for votes.

  Photo: CNA

  Besides offering “incentives,” Chuang said he was threatened by the DPP, which told him that the party would “kick the CPC’s ass hard when it returns to power,” referring to the company he works for, CPC Taiwan Corp.

  Another union leader, who was not identified in the story, said that there had been increasing interactions between the heads of public enterprises and the DPP. The person cited as an example Taiwan Power chairman Hwang Jung-chiou (黃重球), saying he had been frequenting the office of DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) lately.

  DPP spokesperson Juan Chao-hsiung (阮昭雄) rejected the allegations, adding that insinuating that the party had been trying to manipulate labor unions was an insult to union members who have worked hard and have hopes about the nation’s future.

  “The DPP’s attitude toward the state-run enterprises and their unions have always been clear, which is to promote healthy development of their operations and to safeguard the rights of workers,” Juan said.

  “Elections are a competition of policy ideas and the direction of the nation, not a contest to maintain a party’s strongholds. There is no such thing as selling out or jumping ship to the green camp, but only an amassing of the support of all those who share a similar vision about changes that can be made for the country,” he said.

  Juan denounced Chuang’s action in speaking out as a union chairman, but putting the interests of his party before those of workers.

  “Chuang has disgraced the position of union chairman with his KMT Central Committee membership,” Juan said.

  Leaders of two major trade union confederations yesterday also denied reports that they were being pressured to support DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

  Taipei City Confederation of Trade Unions chairman Cheng Ya-hui (鄭雅慧) said that the confederation had not received any advances or invitations from the DPP.

  The confederation maintains a policy of keeping an “equal distance” from the “pan-blue” and “pan-green” camps because both the DPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) are “inclined to promote corporate interests,” Cheng said.

  The confederation will also remain neutral with respect to the presidential and legislative district contest, with the exception of supporting the Green-Social Democratic Party Alliance (Green-SDP Alliance) in the at-large legislative ballot.

  Veteran labor activist Chang Li-fun (張麗芬) heads the alliance’s at-large candidate list.

  “[The DPP] would not invite any one of us who are willing to take to the streets,” Taoyuan City Confederation of Trade Unions secretary general Yao Kuang-tsu (姚光祖) said, adding that the group had voted not to participate in a DPP-affiliated union “support group.”

  He added that while trade union confederations were strapped for cash relative to company unions, they are still capable of funding operations from membership dues and only on government subsidies to pay for labor education events.

  The China Times report said that city and county-level trade union confederations were particularly vulnerable to political pressure because their reliance on government subsidies.
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