TPP lawmakers slam labor conditionsAGING TAX BASE: Among a host of other issues, Lai Hsiang-ling said that an injection of NT$22bn would not shore up the labor insurance fund before it becomes insolventBy Chen Yun and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Lai Hsiang-ling (賴香伶) yesterday called Taiwan’s low wages “a national disgrace,” and demanded that the government improve working conditions and raise the minimum wage. Taiwan’s labor conditions fall short with regard to labor insurance, protection for atypical workers, the minimum wage, the health of labor unions and peace of mind for workers, Lai said. The government has to shore up the labor insurance fund before it becomes insolvent, which critics have said could occur in 2026, she said. TPP Legislator Kao Hung-an (高虹安) said that the party caucus has proposed amendments to the Culture and Arts Reward Act (文化藝術獎助條例), which would bolster the rights of creative industry workers and expand their participation in labor insurance. Unreasonable regulations are to blame for Taiwan’s low unionization rate, which has remained at 7.6 percent for many years, Confederation of Taipei Trade Unions president Chiu I-kan (邱奕淦) said.

Source: Taipei Times April 27, 2021 15:56 UTC