Workers’ rights in Taiwan

5 July 2010: A new report by the ITUC on core labour standards in Taiwan (known at the WTO as “Chinese Taipei”), published to coincide with the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) review of its trade policies, finds that various categories of employees are barred from forming and joining unions, and that penalties in the law are insufficient to prevent anti—union discrimination. Furthermore, strikes are impeded in the form of long and complex procedures, although reforms to the Labour Union Law currently before Parliament should address some of these issues.

Gender discrimination occurs in Chinese Taipei with regard to promotion, equal pay and access to employment. As the ILO Conventions on child labour were adopted after Chinese Taipei was no longer a member of the ILO, Chinese Taipei could not ratify them. However, in general the government enforces the law effectively on issues of child labour, and although child labour and forced labour occur, they are not serious problems in Chinese Taipei.

While there are measures in place to prevent labour trafficking, nonetheless some employers and brokers confiscate residence and work permits or withhold part of the salary of migrant workers.

For further information, please see full report

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