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 Taiwan
Dismissed, dissatisfied
http://www.etaiwannews.com/gallery.php?category=41
Migrant workers from the Kaohsiung-based Huadong Tech Corporation (Walton Advanced Engineering Inc) display slogans and plastic rice bowls in front of the Council of Labor Affairs yesterday, calling for the government's help. The migrant protesters say that they were laid off by the company illegally before their contracts ended and did not get the full amount of their salary.
Photo by Taiwan News 2009-01-09