Taipei:The union representing workers at Kuai Kuai Co.'s sole factory in Taiwan has raised concerns about the company's relocation plans and accused a labor broker of pressuring migrant workers to cross a picket line during an ongoing strike.
According to Focus Taiwan, the union, representing employees at the Zhongli factory, protested outside the Ministry of Labor (MOL) in Taipei. This protest occurred three days after the start of a strike that has since been extended indefinitely. The workers are reacting to Kuai Kuai's sale of the Zhongli site to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. for NT$5.67 billion, with plans to lease back parts of the site for two years before relocating.
The union fears that the company will eventually force workers to resign by relocating without providing severance and layoff benefits. Although Kuai Kuai has promised not to lay off workers for two years and to offer statutory severance plus two months' wages for any layoffs thereafter, union board member Peng Kuei-mei argues this pledge offers no real protection. She points out that employees who leave on their own due to relocation would not receive severance.
The union is demanding compensation for any relocation, as it could disproportionately affect middle-aged and older workers who may find it difficult to secure new employment. Peng also criticized the company's unclear relocation plans, noting that potential sites like Pingtung County, Hsinchu, and Taoyuan have been mentioned but not confirmed.
Furthermore, the union alleges that a broker attempted to persuade migrant workers to cross the picket line, questioning whether such actions should be permissible. The MOL's Chin Shih-ping stated that the situation requires further review before any official stance is taken.
Currently, the Zhongli plant employs around 160 Taiwanese workers, including 155 union members, and about 60 migrant workers from Vietnam and Indonesia, none of whom are union members. A significant number of union members participated in a one-day strike before deciding to continue it indefinitely.
Chu Chia-yun of the Taoyuan Confederation of Trade Unions criticized the government's silence on the matter, suggesting a conflict of interest due to the San-Ti Group's political connections and donations. She urged the MOL to support the workers' demands for pay raises.
In a separate development, over 500 members of the AGC Display Glass Taiwan Inc. union began a strike at their Douliu plant in Yunlin County, demanding pay increases similar to those received by their parent company's employees in Japan. With 96 percent of voting members supporting the strike, it is expected to last two and a half days.