Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) workers yesterday protested over chronic labor disputes, called for increased pay and expressed opposition to a restructuring plan.
Workers yesterday protested in front of Chunghwa Telecom’s headquarters in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District (中正), saying that among the key issues was the company’s inaction on a call for a pay increase of NT$5,000 per month, or about 8 percent, amid rising inflation.
The union’s salary raise proposal was not even on the agenda of the company’s extraordinary board meeting yesterday, protest leaders said.
Photo: CNA
Workers said that they are being unfairly treated with stagnant salaries, despite the telecom posting a strong profit last year.
“The company failed to positively respond to the union’s requests during the negotiations, which aimed to settle differences over labor interests and working conditions,” Chunghwa Telecom Workers’ Union chairman Horng Show-long (洪秀龍) told reporters on the sidelines of the protest.
“Our salaries are lower than our expectations and we now are forced to stand up to safeguard our interests and labor rights,” Horng said.
Chunghwa Telecom has a workforce of about 22,000 people, with their monthly salary averaging about NT$60,000.
All of its employees are part of the union.
The union also demanded that any restructuring and transformation plan the company has be fully discussed before it is implemented.
Chunghwa Telecom said it is willing to communicate with the union over pay raises and labor disputes.
It also plans to overhaul its organization and aims to resolve its differences with employees, the company said in a statement.
The union said that it has not set a timetable for a strike, as it hopes the disputes can be solved through negotiation.
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