| Taiwan abuses foreign workers ― a serious problem! ★ this site's world No. 1 in 2017~18, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010~12 ★ |
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● 2018 USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices> ( released at 4.20.2018 ) : One of principal Taiwan's human rights problems was exploitation of foreign workers, including forced labor.
● 2017 USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices> ( released at 3.13.2017 ) : One of principal Taiwan's human rights problems was exploitation of foreign workers, including foreign crewmembers on long-haul fishing vessels and household caregivers.
● 2016
USA Country Reports on Human Rights
practices> ( released
at 4.13.2016 ) :
principal
human rights problems
were labor exploitation of migrant workers by
fishing companies, exploitation of domestic
workers by brokerage agencies, and official corruption.
● 2015
USA Country Reports on Human Rights
practices> ( released
at 6.26.2015 ) pointed out Taiwan's
principal human rights problems
includes labor exploitation of migrant
workers by fishing companies.
● 2014
USA Country Reports on Human Rights
practices> ( issued
2.27.2014 ) comments Taiwan still
suffers from the exploitation of migrant
workers and from corruption in high
places.
● 2013
<international human
rights review panel> visiting Taiwan
urged
improving rights for Taiwan's migrant
workers, indigenous people, women, gay,
etc.
● 2012 annual report by
<Amnesty International>
(London, UK) criticizes Migrant-workers
rights status in Taiwan.
●<2011
USA Country Reports on Human Rights
practices> ( issued
April
11, 2011 ) comments one of
Taiwanese major human rights problems is
: abuses of foreign/international laborers/workers,
Taiwan
government's foreign laborer policy and
systems exploit int'l workers' rights to
resist, hence, abuses of
international workers happened again and
again.
| ● Foreign laborers' crimes, violence ... click !! |
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comments by international/local media : |
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Labor laws do not cover domestic workers,
leaving them vulnerable to labor exploitation. Forced labor occurred in such
sectors as domestic services, fishing, farming, manufacturing, and construction.
Foreign workers were most susceptible to forced labor, especially when serving
as crew members on Taiwan-flagged fishing vessels. Some labor brokers charged
foreign workers exorbitant recruitment fees and used debts incurred from these
fees in the source country as tools of coercion to subject the workers to debt
bondage
Household caregivers and domestic workers
are not protected under the law and are not covered by a mandated minimum wage,
overtime pay, limits on the workday or workweek, minimum breaks, or vacation
regulations. Brokerage agencies often require workers to take out loans for
“training” and other fees at local branches of Taiwan banks in their home
countries at high interest rates, leaving them vulnerable to debt bondage......
foreign workers often were unwilling to report employer abuses for fear the
employer would terminate the contract and deport them, leaving them unable to
reimburse debt accrued during the recruitment process.
●
Principal human rights problems were labor exploitation of migrant workers by fishing companies, exploitation of domestic workers by brokerage agencies, and official corruption. Migrant workers, including those from Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand, were vulnerable to exploitation. NGOs asserted that foreign workers often were unwilling to report employer abuses for fear the employer would terminate the contract and deport them, leaving them unable to reimburse debt accrued to brokers or others.
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Apple Daily News head-page (12-19-2016) : Shame of Taiwan, the kingdom of long-distance fishing - Taiwanese ocean-going vessels exploited 10 thousand foreign laborers every year. <The Reporter> (https://www.twreporter.org/a/far-sea-fishing-indonesia-fishermen-death) looks into the case an Indonesian imported fisherman worker was suspicious of being abused to death.
Shocks !! How many immigrant workers were abused !
The unspoken secret - In Taiwan, foreign caregivers are
everywhere, people can see them
★ <USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices> ( released at 6.26.2015 )
Taiwan's "principal human rights problems" includes "labor exploitation of migrant workers by fishing companies"... and it mentions foreign laborers' real wage is lower than the standard.
| US report2015◎ |
"Regulations require intensified inspection and oversight of foreign labor brokerage companies. NGOs reported that some labor brokers and employers regularly collected high fees or loan payments from foreign workers, using debts incurred in the source country as a tool for involuntary servitude. At the end of June, 517,187 documented migrants worked in Taiwan; of these, 222,571 were from Indonesia, 100,203 from the Philippines, 59,806 from Thailand, and 134,600 from Vietnam. At the end of May, a total of 43,772 undocumented foreigners were working in Taiwan, according to National Immigration Agency statistics. NGOs asserted that foreign workers often were unwilling to report employer abuses for fear the employer would terminate the contract and deport them, leaving them unable to pay back debt accrued to brokers or others. A June BBC report quoted migrant fisherman and NGOs describing exploitative conditions aboard Taiwan-owned fishing vessels. According to this report, in April a Cambodian court sentenced the manager of the Taiwan fishing company Giant Ocean and five associates to 10 years in prison and ordered them to pay compensation to 150 victims. On August 14, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Kor Vandy affirmed the sentence and ordered the offenders to pay compensation to 180 victims. An employer may deduct only labor insurance fees, health insurance premiums, income taxes, and meal and lodging fees from the wages of a foreign worker. Violators face fines of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 ($1,940 to $9,700) and loss of hiring privileges. Critics, however, complained that violations continued and that the Ministry of Labor did not effectively enforce statutes and regulations intended to protect foreign laborers from unscrupulous brokers and employers. In addition to a Ministry of Labor-operated Foreign Worker Direct-Hire Service Center that allowed local employers to rehire their foreign employees, the ministry operated a direct-hire web platform to allow local employers to hire foreign workers online without having to go through a broker. NGOs, however, asserted that complicated procedures and restrictions on use of both the Service Center and the online service prevented widespread implementation, and they advocated lifting restrictions on transfers between employers. The maximum time foreign workers were allowed to stay in Taiwan was 12 years. The service center also permitted the direct rehiring of foreign workers engaged in manufacturing, fisheries, construction, and other industries."
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★
<Heritage Foundation> & <WallStreet
Journal>,
02-02- 2016 （2016 Index of
Economic Freedom）
The score of Labor Freedom (53.8) is down in this year's report, The rigidity of the labor market and lingering corruption continue to hold back overall economic freedom...
★ <The Liberty Times>, Taiwan, 4.16.2015
Taipei city council (4.15.2015), a councilor/alderman(歐陽龍) : "Using foreign laborers in improper or illegal way has already been a reality in our society... everywhere in Taiwan".
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★
<The United Daily >, Taiwan, 12.14.2015
about 1000 foreign laborer demonstrators
in a parade demanded for no harms/injuries/wounded by each other and no exploitation of
both sides ― patients (the disabilities) and
laborers. Some laborers can't have one day off even they're wounded.
(brief)
<The China Times>, 12.14.2015
A Vietnamese laborer has not had one day off for 12 years.
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★
<United Daily News>, Taiwan, 1.12.2015
editorial column "the poison of hatred and revenge"
... During this global counterterrorism moment, we urge
Taiwanese should not maliciously treat Islam people particularly Indonesian
foreign laborers ...
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★ <USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices, 2013> ( issued 2.27.2014 )
Foreign household caregivers and domestic workers in Taiwan are unable to enjoy the same rights enjoyed by their Taiwanese counterparts, including a minimum wage and/or overtime pay, limits on workdays and/or workweeks, break entitlements, as well as vacations.
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★ CNA, Taiwan, 11-23-2014
Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla announced Friday a plan to freeze female labor exports in five years to protect Indonesian women.
... because ... many Indonesian women are forced to travel overseas to seek better prospects, but many end up victims of mental or physical abuse. (ps)
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★
March 1, 2013 <international human
rights review panel> visiting Taiwan.
The members of the review panel includes Philip Alston, law professor at New
York University; Eibe Riedel, former member of the United Nations Committee on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Jerome Cohen, law professor at New York
University; and Nisuke Ando, professor emeritus at Kyoto University.
The review panel urged improving rights for Taiwan's migrant workers, indigenous people, women, gay and transgender people, and people with disabilities.
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★ TOP TV , Taiwan (高點電視), Oct. 13/14, 2012
A TV informal discussion meeting/a symposium/a forum ( participants including Taipei City Council's councilor namely 林瑞圖 , government official, famous people, etc) mentioned:
1) The number of runaway(escaped) foreign workers and home-care maids in Taiwan is up to 30000~40000, Vietnamese ranked 1st, Indonesian 2nd, many workers're ripped off by high-position officials/people in power, e.g., city mayor, County Magistrate, city/county councilors, legislators( sort like senators/congressmen in the US), and so on.
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★
Aug. 13, 2013,
<the Liberty Times>, <the China Times>, <華視>,
<Youtube>, etc
Taiwan's legislators questioned that
Taiwanese government together with
Philippines government help the agency to exploit
migrant workers ― Filipinos
workers were forced
to sign some unnecessary document ( promissory notes for
overcharged agent-fee) so that the agency can request the court to (enforce)
deduct laborer's salary, hence some workers even can't have enough food and
clothing.
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★ 2012 <Amnesty International>, London, UK, annual report The State of the World's Human Rights 2012, May 24, 2012
Migrant workers were unable to freely change employer. Domestic migrant workers and care-givers were often forced to work without adequate rest. The media exposed abuse and exploitation of migrant workers by government officials and celebrities.
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No. 1 on US google by keyword "international workers in Taiwan" , 2-12-2018, 1.1.2017, 10-30-2017;
"foreign
laborers in Taiwan" ranks No.1 on Google,
This page ranking No.1 on English google by the keyword "international
workers in Taiwan", ◎
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No.1 on Yahoo by keyword "Taiwan foreign laborer" at July 7, 2014
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No.1 on Yahoo by keyword "international workers in Taiwan" ◎
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★ 2011 human rights report <USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices> USA , issued April 8, 2011
There were still problems with corruption, violence and discrimination against women and children, as well as human trafficking, abuses of foreign workers.
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★ <Amnesty International>, London, UK, annual report The State of the World's Human Rights 2011, May 13, 2011
Taiwan was criticized over issues to
do with the death
penalty, freedom of expression,
justice and migrants' rights (It also voiced concerns over the slow progress to enact a judges' act to
address corruption scandals involving high court judges and
over the working
conditions of migrant workers.).
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★ <Liberty Times> Taiwan, Sept. 17, 2012
Many foreign workers and group from Indonesia,
Philippines protest for a red line set up in central hall, Taipei main station,
they think it's a discrimination against them for stopping their gathering in
such a convenient location. A researcher said the protest also tried
to highlight foreign workers' long vacation, leisure issues, etc.
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★ <Taipei Times> Taiwan, Dec. 10, 2010
Illegal
laborer brokers set to get tougher penalties .... Council statistics show
about 34000 runaway foreign workers in Taiwan ... Sept. 6 deaths of 6 runaway
foreign workers, ... illegally employed ... on the No. 6 freeway.
<Taiwan Post> : ...the
government believes brokers must take major responsibility for the problem of
runaways ...
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★ <China Times> Taiwan, Oct. 2, 2010
Without
being treated as human beings, 35,000 foreign
workers run away.
(
total number of foreign laborer/workers: 372,146, Taiwan's population :
23,000,000 or so)
Sometimes international workers
earn less than NT3000 (US$ 90) per month.
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★ BBC website, the Straits Times (Singapore), Associated Press, AFP, ABS-CBN TV (Philippines),
India Times, and DailyMail of UK,
the Jakarta Post (May 14, 2010),
etc.
A Taiwanese Co. employer forced three Muslim Indonesian women to eat pork (this violates Muslim religion) over a seven-month period.
Indonesian government condemns such action ( forcing foreign-laborer/workers to consume pork) as it was against appropriate values, calling upon the Taiwanese government to pay “serious attention” to the case.
ps: <United daily News> May 13, 2010 reported a Taiwanese int'l labor union leader said that those workers accused salary problems, instead of having pork.
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★ <三立新聞> TV morning news，
7:45am ， 9/15/2012
'Indonesian worker accused amid tears for being abused - foreign home care workers became "Roustabout" '「Chinese caption: 看護工變打雜工、 印勞泣訴遭虐」
A steak shop illegally used Indonesian worker, from 6 am early morning till 12 am late night, and the boss gave expired medicine to the foreign worker ......
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★ USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices, issued Mar 11, 2010
Human Rights Reports : Taiwan
NGOs reported that laborer brokers and employers regularly collected high fees or loan payments from foreign workers, frequently using debt as a tool for involuntary servitude, and that foreign workers were unwilling to report employer abuses for fear the employer would terminate the contract and forcibly deport them, leaving them unable to pay back debt accrued to brokers or others.
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★ WikiPedia Human trafficking in Taiwan Sept. 2010
◎ Many foreign workers remain vulnerable to trafficking because legal protections, oversight by authorities and enforcement efforts are inadequate.
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News stories regarding foreign laborer in main stream media almost are negative ― int'l workers run away, rob, steal ...... so as to strengthen Taiwanese prejudices and fears to foreign workers, therefore, Taiwanese people prefer to keep a safe distance with foreign laborer/workers.
All above are the tip of a big iceberg .....
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★ <United daily News> Taiwan, May 13, 2010
Taiwan nice to white people, but despises int'l laborer
Taiwan's laborer system led to lots of abuses of international workers.
Taiwan is very friendly to or even has brown nose (toady to, flatter) to white people, but looks down upon color people, ....... Taiwanese often feel they faced discrimination while overseas, but Taiwanese also treat in similar way to other little countries' people .....
The "PM" of Taiwan stated foreign laborer/workers don't have basic/min wage ― they have at most NT8000 - 9000 per month. 【written by 陳文哲】
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★ Several illegal foreign laborer/workers died in an accident ― sprawling network of scaffolding collapsed on a construction site of the national freeway in Taiwan.
◎ <Taipei Times> Oct. 3, 2010
While about ...... more than 30,000 people (ps: escaped/undocumented foreign workers) still unaccounted for, official tallies show.
According to figures from the council’s Bureau of Employment and Vocational Training, ...... the 372,146 migrant workers in Taiwan at that time.
◎ <CTS> Taiwan, evening news Oct. 1, 2010 7:10pm
"Police failed to find those illegal foreign workers dying in a national freeway accident (a headline news in Taiwan), we can see how serious Taiwan's int'l laborer problem is."(English interpretation)
◎ <CTV> Taiwan, evening news Oct. 1, 2010 7:28pm
The number of runaway illegal international workers in Taiwan is around 33,000 (ps Apple Daily: 33510, China times: 35000)
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★ <TVBS> of Hong Kong in Taiwan, Oct. 7, 2010 6:55 pm evening news
Female foreign workers feel uncomfortable, for dormitory video camera near wash-room taking pictures on them (some persons pass some pictures within group).
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★ <Apple Daily News> Taiwan Oct. 20, 2009
5 Vietnamese workers (age 20+ yrs old) cried for being "slaves" in Taiwan ― working 16 hours per day, each taking care 10+ old men, being forced to do medical treatment/actions (i.e., pulls out the phlegm) , with salary only NT 2000 (about US$ 65), besides, their boss often threatened them that the employer would terminate their contracts and forcibly deport them, and locked them together with old men inside the house without freedom ....
Some foreign worker was wounded by
cat paws bad-guys after a County Representative concerned this
issue. ( now already a courthouse case )
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According to UN's statistics, int'l Human trafficking relates at
least 4 million people, with money value US$ 7000 - 10000 million, and
has grown
with high speed each year.
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A police "wrestled & touched down" and straddled a female international workers, that is questioned as an over-reaction law enforcement.
Today about 70-80 furious international workers on protest at front of the <Chung-Cheng> police station declared that Taiwanese police discriminated and didn't treat South-eastern Asian workers as human beings, and asked police to apology in public.
They also expressed that Taiwanese police like to interrogate and examine them in the street, instead, treat white people in totally different way.
★ <Apple Daily News> Taiwan, May 14, 2010
Is Taiwan still a civilized society ? int'l workers' residence place ― like "prison/concentration camp".
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★ KMT political Party official website, Sept 25, 2010
Who did
this?！ exploit foreign workers' human rights, and don't care Taiwanese
workers' survival？
A riot protest by Thailand
workers in Aug.'05 shocks Taiwan by its dark sides behind
foreign-laborer exploitative systems.
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★ <United daily News> Taiwan, Sept. 6, 2009
A Taiwanese high ranking official sexual assaulted a girl foreign worker in office building.
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ps: Certainly there're good and bad int'l workers, besides, part of the laborer system bad for Taiwanese needs improvements too, i.e., a very old man may live alone for a long queue (time) for a new worker ― because the previous worker escaped for certain reason not employer's fault. Taiwan's Apple Daily News (Sept. 15, 2012) reported a foreign worker went for happy shopping and left very old person ( she should take care of ) alone in the street. My personal experience ... an irresponsible foreign laborer from Indonesia!
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ps: abstract from major media article & reports |
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| ● Foreign workers' crimes, violence on the disability ... click ! | |
| ★ For precise meanings pls. refer to Chinese language version article ... |
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