就在勞委會主委王如玄昨(6)日宣布了「如果本勞及外勞從事相同性質的工作，資遣應以外勞優先」的政策後，高雄前鎮工業區華東公司的129名外勞也正面臨著被大量解僱的厄運。勞委會王主委只知道「資遣應以外勞優先」，卻沒有任何配套措施來保護突然失業並將面臨轉換不到雇主、沒錢付食宿費用來因應勞資爭議調解、無力負擔龐大仲介費用而且還要自付機票回家的這些苦命外勞！,這些被資遣的外勞年資最短的只有四個月！勞委會這種用犧牲外勞來安撫本勞的作法，其實只是轉移焦點，讓資本家佔了便宜，並且將資本家因惡性競爭和金融投機所產生的惡果，留給本勞和外勞共同承擔！對外勞的勞動人權侵害，莫此為甚！這樣壓榨外勞的行為，根本就可以視同人口販運了！

華東外勞為了捍衛自己的生存權，決定派代表北上勞委會，與本地勞工團體共同向勞委會提出陳情的呼籲，要求勞委會應重視移工的生存權與勞動人權。

ㄧ、活動名稱：前鎮工業區東華外勞勞委會陳情求助活動
二、活動時間：2009年1月8日上午10點
三、活動地點：台北市延平北路勞委會辦公大樓前廣場
四、活動內容：1.表達訴求；2.集體演出「移工不如免洗餐具」行動劇；3.向勞委會反應並遞交陳情書。
五：新聞聯絡：勞動黨桃竹苗勞工服務中心主任 高偉凱 0910170417
勞動人權協會 執行長 王娟萍 0932028601
唐 曙 0932036294
歡迎記者女士先生蒞臨採訪

雇主提前解約 賠償移工損害

　　在前鎮加工出口區華東科技股份有限公司工作的移工M女士，在去年底接到公司通知，即將在一月初返回菲律賓。她拿到的薪水單，除了勞健保費、福利金（雖然福利很有限）、所得稅（雖然受到中華民國政府的保障並不多）、分期債款償還等等扣項以外，還有一項「事假」的扣款，雖然她並沒有請任何事假，這就是被迫無薪休假了。她離家到台灣來十個多月，在家裡等著她的，有找不到工作的丈夫、兩個小孩，以及還有好幾萬塊沒有還清的仲介費。

　　台灣的法律對於雇主提前終止勞動契約，主要的保障就是預告工資和資遣費。這主要是針對本國人、不定期契約工的設計，雖然保障並不足夠。但是對於移民工人（外勞）來說，這個保障就更顯得微不足道：到台工作的仲介費居高不下，加上其他的規費、機票，移工還沒抵達台灣就要先欠一大筆錢。以一般情況來說，第一年的薪水全部都是要用來還錢的。但是像華東公司年初要遣返的上百名菲勞來說，許多人到廠年資只有四個月或十個月，資遣費算起來只有一點點，還仲介費的零頭都不夠。

　　華東公司雖然依法提前預告，但勞基法的預告設計是要讓即將失業的工人先請謀職假去找工作，這對移工根本沒有意義。即使移工可以要求轉換雇主，但以現在的經濟情勢，也很難找到新雇主；等待轉換期間或申請勞資爭議調解，不但沒有薪水，還要支付食宿費用，不知要等到何年何月。

　　像華東公司這樣的案例，現在每天在台灣各地都在發生。即使雇主完全守法，移工還是只能回家面對債務；更何況有很多公司是明知即將緊縮或關廠，仍然與仲介串通好騙一筆仲介費，等移工來了兩三個月就把他們送回去，如此的作法根本就形同人口販運。而好一點的公司還幫忙出機票費，但是這樣的公司少之又少。顯然當前法規的設計和移住定期契約工應受保障權益之間有很大的落差。

所以，我們要求：

一、提前終止勞動契約的雇主，應賠償移工仲介費與機票。
二、移工等待轉換雇主或申請勞資爭議調解期間的薪資應由原雇主支付。
三、雇主申請引進移工，必須先提繳墊償基金或準備金，以免關廠裁員時無力繳交上述費用。

　　以上是針對當前經濟情勢提出的緊急訴求，但是台灣的移工體制還有許多長期以來沒有解決的根本問題：

一、移工要有組織工會的權利
二、移工得在台自由轉換雇主
三、放寬移工的居留與工作年限
四、降低甚至免除仲介費用
五、移工與本地勞工應同工同酬同權
六、所有受僱者全面納入勞基法

共同活動單位：華東移工自救會 勞動人權協會 國際移工組織(2009.1.8)

Defend the Retrenched Workers in Walton Advance Engineering Inc.

We deplore Century Pacific Corporation a local Taiwanese broker (placement agency) for intimidating 168 retrenched OFWs of Walton Advance Engineering Inc. into signing agreements with the company which is grossly unfavorable to them. We also deplore the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) for interceding only on behalf of 50 of the workers who have not yet signed said agreement and are only negotiating for their airfare back home.

Most of the retrenched workers are new hires with most working for only from 4 to 6 months. Under Taiwan’s labor standards law, they will get only a separation pay of one month salary for every year of service and their airfare back home. At the same time, they would need to pay 20% of income tax as they have stayed only in Taiwan for less than 183 days as this is the Ministry of Finance’s policy.

This means that each worker will only get between NT$5760 – NT$NT$8640 in separation pay. They will however be deducted NT$3456 for their income tax. Other deductions include NT$576 for labor insurance; NT$236 for medical insurance; NT$1800 for broker’s fees; and NT$1,000 for board and lodging fees. The deductions total NT$7068 which is more than what those who worked for 4 months would get as separation pay. This does not include the minimum NT$4,000 for airfare.

Majority of the OFWs also paid P93,500 (NT$65,718) as placement fee in the Philippines to their placement agency. This is equivalent to almost 4 months of their basic salary. Clearly the OFWs are at a disadvantage whatever angle you look at their situation. The amount paid to the placement agency is over the limit set by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA). This is a criminal offense and is equivalent to illegal recruitment.

Thus MECO should not only be satisfied with negotiating for the airfare of the OFW’s. They should also work for the full payment of the salaries of the workers on the remaining months in their contract. They should also penalize the placement agencies for overcharging the workers and the Taiwanese broker for intimidating the migrants which is common in Taiwan .

Century Pacific Corporation threatened the workers that if they do not sign the conditions imposed on them they would not get any money, would not be provided food in their dormitories and no airfare back home. Brokers act as the managers of the employers in Taiwan and represent them in any labor dispute with the workers.

This belies the projection being made by PILMAT (Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan ) that they are for the interests of the migrant workers.

We are also one with the 300 local workers of Walton Advance Engineering Inc. and other companies for any anti-worker policies being imposed to them by their employers. In particular, the imposition of unpaid forced leave from January 1 – 4 on them including on the migrant workers.

During times of economic crisis governments should assist more its working people than the handful of employers. Workers are not the cause of the crisis and in this particular case it is very clear who are exploiting whom.

◎Provide all retrenched migrant workers their airfare back home and their full salaries on the remaining months of their contracts!
◎Waive the payment of 20% income tax on all retrenched migrant workers!
◎Penalize the broker for intimidating the workers into signing an unjust agreement, revoke said agreement!
◎Penalize the placement agency for overcharging the migrant workers!
◎Halt imposition of unpaid forced leave on all workers!

◎Migrant and local workers unite against capitalist exploitation and neo-liberal globalization!

Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants
Migrante International-Taiwan Chapter
Labor Rights Association
2009.1.8.