The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed the third reading of amendments to the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) that would no longer require workers to retire at the age of 65.
Advocates from labor rights groups had called on political parties to abolish the clause on mandatory retirement at the age of 65, because many employers had exploited it by requiring their employees to retire and rehiring them under worse conditions.
Lawmakers voted to approve the amendments to Article 54 of the act, which would remove the clause requiring retirement at 65, and allow the employer and employee to negotiate on an extended retirement age, until which time the employer must still cover their employee’s labor insurance and contribute to their pension scheme.
Photo courtesy of the Taoyuan City Trade Union Federation
Ministry of Labor officials supported the move, as Taiwan is expected to become a super-aged society next year, has a dwindling birthrate and its available pool of workers is shrinking, leading to a tight labor market with many sectors unable to fill their staffing needs.
“Employers must not treat workers who choose to continue working past 65 differently, and offenders can punished with a fine of up to NT$1.5 million” (US$46,052), the ministry said in a statement yesterday.
“Some workers who are aged 65, such as those who have insufficient income from labor insurance and their retirement pension, still need a wage, and would want to continue working,” Taoyuan City Trade Union Federation secretary Lin Chuang-chou (林莊周) said.
However, “if the employer held a dominant position in the negotiations, then the employee is still at a disadvantage,” he said.
“Employers often require the worker to retire first, then rehire them, but with reduced pay and under less favorable conditions. Most of time, the worker had to accept the employer’s offer, or they would not have a job,” Lin said.
“The amendments are welcomed by both sides ... but original provisions under the labor law already provided room for negotiations between the employer and employee to extend their retirement age, should both sides agree. So, the approval by lawmakers is more of symbolic move,” Lin said.
It still does not solve the more difficult issues such as when both sides negotiate other working terms, he said.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS