TAIWAN

New Fees Mean 25% Wage Cut

From the Hope Workers’ Centre, Taiwan

The Council of Labour Affairs (CLA) wants to introduce a change in alien migrant employment contracts to allow the employers of factory and construction workers to deduct NT$ 2500 - 4000 (US$72 - 116) per month for food and accommodation. This means that migrant workers’ wages will be reduced by up to 25 percent.

Taiwanese media report that the Vietnamese government has already agreed to change the contracts. Now the CLA is negotiating with the other migrant exporting countries. Indonesia seems to be willing to sign.

The Thai government will not agree unless the fee workers pay to recruitment agencies is reduced to 56,000 baht (US$1,239). The Philippines has not yet agreed.

The CLA had announced the desire to reduce migrant recruitment fees and instead allow employers to deduct for food and accommodation. In fact the recruitment fees are higher than ever. At present most migrants do not work overtime because of Taiwan’s economic crisis, thus reducing their income even further.