A push for better rights for migrant workers in Taiwan conducted by a labor non-governmental organization has won strong support – over 90% of nearly 2,500 respondents, including local people and foreign workers, during the first phase of the campaign.
The Migrant Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT) launched the three-month campaign on September 17 to gather public feedback on three key issues – whether caregivers in people’s homes should be protected by the Labor Standards Act, whether migrant workers should enjoy the right to change employers, and whether private employment agencies should be scrapped and such duties be undertaken by the government, The Commons Daily reported over the weekend.
Some 2,447 local people and foreign workers gave feedback on these issues. Just over 2,100 were migrant workers, while the remaining 338 were Taiwan citizens. All three issues secured an average of 2,400 votes in favor.
The number of Taiwanese voters who give feedback is expected to surge in the latter phases of gauging support as various non-government groups are yet to express their positions at this stage.
A Taiwanese woman surnamed Lui who employs a migrant caregiver told Real Daily that she supported home caregivers being protected by the Labor Standards Act, which could enable them to get a better salary and welfare protection.
She saw it as a win-win scenario that would make migrant workers happier when taking care of elderly people at home, and employers would not need to worry about having to find new helpers frequently.
Meanwhile, a Taiwanese man surnamed Chen said it was important to crack down on private employment agencies that charge exorbitant referral fees.
But he said pushing for the public to vote in a referendum on these issues was “too political”.
Migrant worker Sumiyati told Central News Agency that she favored a referendum on these issues, as domestic workers in Taiwan currently earn only NT$17,000 (US$559) a month – NT$4,000 less than the legal minimum wage of NT$21,009, and they are not protected under the Labor Standards Act. Their work hours could be unlimited and days off were not guaranteed.
Amen.God will answers very soon.caretakers need to increase salary,and I wish labor have checking all the caretakers employer if the fallow the rules,like me I’m still managing my salary 15,840 without day off,rehired without contract,always promising to get the contract bcos no broker now.but I’m still thankful bcos they are good.but we come here to earn money.
Yes. They should increase our salary coz we (caretakers) are working 24 hours in taking care of the elders. We don’t have day-off and if we do so they deduct it in our monthly salary.
And most especially take notice of the monthly broker’s fee.
Im a caretaker and working for more than 12 hours and doing household also.and most of the time we dont have enough sleep during at night.if the old man calling you,you have to get up.I think we also deserved that minimum wage increased of NT$21,000.
Home caregiver is much.more.work.compare to other sectors. We do all around.work not only taking care our sponsors we did everything. It’s not fair to us we work more but pay less.
korek its unfair to us guys,we fight fight for victory
We caretaker at home should be included in these labor law because we live in caretakers and to those live in caretaker/caregiver that are staying in the hospital..(ex. In nursing home and RCW )we are working 24 hours …and we should be included in that so called standard labor law of Taiwan ..because it’s very unfair for us , caretakers to be leaving behind on that law …thinking that we are all working in Taiwan ..Hope and Pray that we Will be included too…THANKS…..
Amen
In additional maam…legal holdidays are not paid but we stay at work…other things they didnt think that we take care their beloved one??
We need a day off most employer didnt want us caregiver to have it why is that? We most of the time lack of sleep, we need to relax our body mind and soul too
I am also caretaker /caregiver, we are working 24/7 and also don’t have a day off per month, working not only for the older, we work for all of them, so many houses needs to clean and cook for them, and some of the employers are not giving enough foods.
Sana magka totoo mahirap kya 24hrs ang pag aalaga nmin!
I’m a caretaker here in Taichung and I wrk almost 24hrs,I take care mhe2 also its so hard to wrk because not only my patient to takecare but I do clean,wash also that’s why need to increase the salary.
This is a good a idea caretcaretaker is not easy just not take care the elderly people instead all the people of our house even my boss children they got married they stay together in one house how emagin my work 3 family in our house it’s a big house 5th flor clean everyday washing iron the cloth everyday and cooking….
Yes because we are working 24 hour’s a day we are hoping that we are belong to the labor standard
how bout me?my salary is only nt16,000 taking care of 2 elderly and cleaning a 2 story house is it fair???????
Oh God pls! We are working 24hrs everydah and we dont have enough sleep. Pls grant this wish to avoid run away migrant workers! It’s very hard to take care elder people!
Caretakers/Caregivers are also Overseas Filipino Workers and we are also Govern by Council of Labor Affairs so why not include as in that Labor Standard Law, we are also laborers, did u ever think of our safery? we care elderly people with different illness 24/7, transferable or not yet we are at risk. This must be the reason why we must be included in that Labor Code. Another issue is about minimum wages, yes we do not pay our board and lodging but did you ever think how many sleep do we have within 24 hours? do we have overtime payment or even payment for household chores?..1. our sleep is off n on, be thankful if you have 5hours of sleep within 24hours,,,2. no overtime payment even saturday and sunday even if we do all the household chores employers stick with our daily wages even if you work more than 8.5hours…we may not be paying our board and lodging but if you look at our situation "we are the loosers" yes we are very much under paid…i just hope that we may be given priorities too…and i want to thank this employer who had given us this opportunity to be given importance…thank you so much…yes we are always taken aside by this Labor Standard Laws…
I am a caretaker myself and my work hour is more than 12 hours a day, and it’s not just taking care of old man we do all the household work like cooking, washing and cleaning for everyone who lives with the old man I care of.. it’s just too unfair that we a excluded of the labor law rights..and some employers are not even giving the day off to most of us. I hope everyone will be enlightened on this issue.
Absolutely right.We caregivers deserved for salary increase even just 21,000 nts.We worked 24 hours but not given enough consideration and understanding about salary increment and rights to enjoy 1 day break or 1 day day off.So unfair
We caretaker also need to meet this legal minimum wage 21009nt$ because our working time at home as a caretaker are always exceeding 12hrs/day. We all hope to please consider our opinion.