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Tsai touts plan to raise minimum wage annually
President Tsai-Ing wen says her administration’s efforts to raise the minimum wage on an annual basis is now one of its central policies.
During the annual assembly of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions, Tsai said her administration has a plan in place to raise the minimum wage every year. She also says she is determined to overcome every obstacle to carry out the goal.
Tsai acknowledged that small and medium-sized enterprises have been hurt by a surge in domestic coronavirus cases in recent months, which could make absorbing a minimum wage hike in the coming year difficult for them. However, she stressed that the government would still push for increases and provide assistance to small businesses to help them overcome any obstacles.
Confederation head Jiang Jien-hsin says his members are hoping the hikes will continue this year to keep paychecks from being eroded by rising inflation. The group is also hoping lawmakers will pass a formal minimum wage bill to establish a mechanism for an annual wage hike. That bill was submitted to the Legislative Yuan in November 2018, but has notyet been promulgated.
