Taiwanese labor groups took to the streets to protest low wages and poor working conditions on Wednesday, a symbolic date marking 100 days before the 2024 presidential election.
The groups organized by Labor Rights Fighter (工人鬥總統) laid out seven demands for improving wages, labor protections, and easing rules for labor organizing. The demands include raising the minimum wage to NT$30,000 per month (US$925), increasing overtime pay, and raising the amounts of basic retirement pensions. They’re also calling for more national holidays and lowering the number of workers needed to form a union to 10.
Chair of the New Kaohsiung Federation of Trade Unions Ho Cheng-Chia (何政家) gave a speech at the protest. He says that the problem of low wages in Taiwan has become so serious that it should be considered a national security issue. Ho adds that if this continues, people will not be able to get married or have children, and anger at society will increase, causing major social problems.
The groups also specifically addressed firefighters following a factory fire in Pingtung County in which six workers and four firefighters were killed. The groups say that the company that ran the factory had violated occupational safety and labor laws multiple times, in addition to failing to comply with fire safety regulations. The groups say that firefighters should be covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act and that employers who cause deaths through work safety negligence should be held criminally liable. The groups also add that firefighters should be allowed to unionize, as currently they are considered civil servants and are barred from unionizing under Taiwanese law.