TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Workers on reduced hours in Taiwan reached 9,153, an increase of 697 since Monday (Nov. 17), as U.S. tariffs impact manufacturing, the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) announced Monday (Dec. 1). A total of 456 companies have implemented reduced hours measures, with three large-scale enterprises in machinery, metal products, and consumer industries affecting 8,619 manufacturing workers. The ministry attributed the increase to U.S. reciprocal tariffs reducing orders for Taiwanese manufacturers.
The Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment (勞動條件及就業平等司), a division within the labor ministry, reported 19 companies have ceased or prematurely terminated reduced hours programs, allowing 215 employees to resume their original wages and full work hours. U.S. reciprocal tariffs have impacted 8,186 workers across 369 businesses through reduced orders for Taiwan-manufactured products, the ministry noted. The tariff impact represents the majority of workers affected by reduced hours nationwide.
The 9,153 total marks the first time reduced hours have surpassed 9,000 since Nov. 3, primarily due to actions by three large manufacturing enterprises implementing workforce reductions. Small-scale companies with fewer than 50 employees make up 417 of the 456 total companies implementing reduced hours, accounting for over 90 percent of affected businesses. Excluding the three large firms, the increase in affected workers is approximately 100 to 200 individuals, indicating the outsized impact of large-scale layoffs.
The manufacturing sector remains most affected, with 376 companies and 8,619 workers on reduced hours, particularly in metal and electromechanical industries that depend heavily on export orders. The ministry stated 328 companies have implemented employment stabilization measures, enabling 7,034 workers to apply for government wage difference subsidies to offset income losses. The subsidies help workers maintain economic stability during reduced work hours by partially compensating for lost wages. ◼