On September 10, 2014, Mrs Ratiwan Sontara, Minister Counselor (Labour Affairs) at the Office of Labour Affairs in Taiwan, attended an international meeting with officials from four labour exporting countries, namely Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand in Indonesia.
On September 10, 2014, Mrs Ratiwan Sontara, Minister Counselor (Labour Affairs) at the Office of Labour Affairs in Taiwan, attended an international meeting with officials from four labour exporting countries, namely Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand in Indonesia.
The meeting is held every 2-3 months with host being rotated among the four member countries. It has objectives to provide a platform for the member countries for discussion about migrant labour situation in Taiwan and about ways to expand labour market and protection on migrant workers.
During this meeting, participants took the opportunity to greet new chief of labour office of Indonesia, Mr.Devrial Sogia, and Mrs.Llewelyn D. Perez, a new chief of labour office of the Philippines.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, chief of labour office of Vietnam, said Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour have refused to extend employment licenses of five Vietnamese job-placement firms after the number of runaway workers, who were brought to Taiwan via these firms, exceeded the limit given by the Ministry. The Ministry is considering revoking employment licenses of 7-8 other Vietnamese job-placement firms.
Mr. Devrial said 19 Indonesia’s job-placement firms were punished by Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour for the same reason. He asked Mrs Ratiwan if any Thai job-placement firm has received a similar treatment.
In her reply, Mrs Ratiwan said no job-placement firm has been punished by Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour for the reason.
The meeting also discussed problems concerning wages for curators and housekeepers.
Mr Devrial said a monthly wage for Indonesian curators and housekeepers is 15,840 Taiwan dollars and there are 170,000 of them working on the island.
Mrs Ratiwan said Thai curators and housekeepers receive wages higher than the minimum level paid to those in manufacturing and building sectors. Thailand has noticed Taiwan that workers from Thailand must receive wage at the level equal or higher than the minimum wage in that country, as required by Thai laws.
A job placement firm will be punished and take responsible if the percentage of its client worker, who run away from within his first three months, exceeds the limit, in according new regulations imposed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour in September. The percentage limit for a job placement firm that sends 1-50 workers to the island is at 7.82%, for a firm with 51-200 clients at 6.35%, for a firm with 201-500 clients at 4.35%, for a firm with 201-500 clients at 4.3%, for a firm with 501-1,000 clients at 3.33%, and for a firm with 1,001 or more at 2.94%.
