Labor Protesters Upset by Talk of Migrant Workers in Service Sector

TaiwanPlus News

As a hunger strike continues for better work conditions, Taiwan's labor activists have a new grievance: reports the government and business groups want to bring migrant labor into the service sector.

Transcript

00:00Labour activists gather across from the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

00:05For three days, they've been camped out by the Labour ministry, demanding changes to

00:09the law, from better overtime pay to the return of public holidays cut from the calendar.

00:15Some are even on a hundred-hour hunger strike.

00:18As they see it, though, far from listening, ruling party officials are adding to the list

00:22of grievances.

00:24And so they've stepped away from their camp this morning to protest, hoping these officials

00:28will see their anger.

00:30What set off this morning's protest are fresh reports officials have floated the idea of

00:35opening Taiwan's service sector to migrant workers, in a Tuesday night meeting with business

00:39interests.

00:41There would be conditions.

00:43Local workers' salaries would have to go up first.

00:46But these protesters are skeptical.

00:58They say migrant labour is something that needs to be properly assessed beforehand.

01:06They're concerned about local workers being pushed out of the service sector, which they

01:10say is often a safe backup for those who lose their jobs or can no longer do them due to

01:15age.

01:16Lastly, they're frustrated at what they see as a double standard in the government's treatment

01:52of migrant workers.

01:54Protesters don cardboard cut-out masks representing the president, labour minister and moneyed

01:59interests, with the labour minister and president working to keep these interests happy.

02:05After this performance, the protesters head back to their labour ministry encampment.

02:09No official or party rep has stepped out, but they say they aren't done yet.

02:14In fact, the chief hunger striker says they intend to get louder about their demands.

02:20On the 21st of December, we will have an event at the Free Square, where we will have an

02:26event for the workers' self-management committee.

02:31And on the 2nd of January, we will have an event for the Honourable Cultivation Alliance.

02:39And even just today, these groups have more planned, starting with a protest against

02:44workplace bullying back at the labour ministry.

02:48Whether they get an official response or not, this small but animated group says it

02:53isn't going to be quiet any time soon.

02:56Scott Huang and John Ventriest for Taiwan Plus.

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