Veteran labor rights activist Lai Hsiang-ling is set to take over Taipei City’s labor department on December 25th.
Lai is currently the secretary general of Raging Citizens Act Now!, a left-wing social movement organization. Founded in 2006, the organization is aimed protecting the rights of laborers, sex workers, new immigrants, Taiwan’s indigenous people and gay and lesbian workers.
Lai is the first elected city official under Taipei mayor-elect Ko Wen-je’s pioneering “i-Voting” project. The project allows Taipei residents to elect their own labor chief for the first time in history. Lai defeated four other contestants by winning the highest score, even though the voting rate only stood at 36.63%.
On Monday, Lai told the media that she is sympathetic to the plight of laborers. Lai also said that while skyrocketing housing prices and urban development are not labor rights issues, they are crucial to laborers’ survival.
Lai has been involved in labor and social movements for more than 25 years.