The General Chamber of Commerce (GCC, 全國商業總會) on Monday urged the government to allow domestic service companies to hire migrant workers to ease a labor shortage, saying that Taiwanese hotels need 8,000 housekeepers.
GCC chairman Paul Hsu (許舒博) made the plea during a meeting with Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and other Cabinet officials for the first time in six years.
Hsu urged the government to assign more importance to the trade group, which represents 156 sectors and 1.59 million companies that hire more employees than manufacturers.
Photo: CNA
The government should adopt a different set of labor rules for the service sector amid the current labor shortage, he said.
The government allows construction and manufacturing firms to hire migrant workers, but prevents service providers from doing so, he said, adding that the labor shortage is affecting hotels, logistics operators and other service sector companies.
The government should consider allowing 8,000 migrant workers to help with housekeeping work at 117 tourist hotels across the nation, as private consumption is a primary growth driver this year while exporters go through a slowdown, Hsu said.
The government stands by its stance that companies should seek to fill vacant positions with domestic workers and raise wages and perks to attract potential candidates.
Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) asked labor officials to organize more job matching events to help the service sector.
The government would consider easing labor rules only when service providers have explored all alternative options, Cheng said.
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