TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The International Migrants Day on Wednesday (Dec. 18) saw several migrant worker groups gathered in front of the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) to demand a halt to the pilot program for hourly migrant workers. The groups argued that the Employment Security Fund (就業安定基金) results from policies that undervalue trans-national labor.
The Taiwan International Workers' Association (TIWA, 台灣國際勞工協會), Domestic Caretaker Union (DCU, 桃園市家庭看護工職業工會), Caritas Taiwan (台灣明愛會), and Awakening Foundation (婦女新知基金會) held a press conference to present four demands to Labor Minister Hung Sun-han (洪申翰). They insisted that the ministry should regularly publish the Employment Security Fund's expenditures, uses, and committee member lists in an accessible manner for public scrutiny.
TIWA highlighted the government's insufficient long-term care services, which force families to hire low-cost migrant caregivers. They urged the government to take responsibility and provide "care justice." The association called for the suspension of the "Diverse Companion Care Service Pilot Program" (多元陪伴照顧服務試辦計畫) and requested an inter-ministerial meeting to revise the plan with input from relevant groups.
The MOL responded by stating the committee list and meeting records are available on the Workforce Development Agency's website. They also plan to continue discussions with the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, 衛福部) regarding the pilot program, the MOL added.