The Basic Wage Deliberation Committee held its 33th meeting on August 16, 2018 and concluded: Starting January 1, 2019, the monthly Basic Wage (Minimum wage) will be adjusted from NT$22,000 (all currencies in NTD) to $23,100, an increase of $1,100 or 5%; and the hourly Basic wage will be adjusted from $140 to $150, an increase of $10 or 7.14%. The Ministry of Labor (MOL) submitted the amendment to the Executive Yuan for approval and announced it on September 5, 2018.

The MOL pointed out that both the labor and management sides exchanged opinions thoroughly at the Basic Wage Deliberation Committee and engaged in rational discussions. They reached a consensus that the Basic wage should be adjusted for the first phase. As for the extent of the adjustment, due to the wide range of variables involved, members of the Committee exchanged views on many occasions and agreed that annual growth in the prices of 17 important commodities should be first on the agenda. There remains a disagreement between the parties as to how to tackle the other reference indicators. After many negotiations it was finally agreed at the chairman's proposal that considering the annual growth rate of 17 important commodities, the rate of economic growth and the annual growth rate of the labor productivity index, a conclusion was reached to adjust the monthly minimum wage to $23,100. In addition, the hourly minimum wage will be adjusted to $150 in consideration of younger workers and middle-age and elderly workers who are mostly employed in jobs with hourly wages.

Raising the minimum monthly wage to $23,100 will benefit approximately 1.8014 million workers (1.3634 million workers and 438,000 foreign workers), and raising the minimum hourly wage to $150 will benefit approximately 456,000 workers. The increase in minimum wages will increase the income of vulnerable workers and help them maintain basic needs.

The MOL is especially grateful to the members of the Committee for their willingness to consider the economic situation and changes in consumer prices. The increase in minimum wages will help rank-and-file workers meet their basic needs and drive both consumer spending and economic growth, creating a win-win situation for both labor and management.

Keywords: Basic wage, Basic Wage Deliberation Committee

The Ministry of Labor communicated with the Financial Supervisory Commission and reached a consensus. Starting January 1, 2019, public offering companies should send copies of labor-management conference records (including notices of meetings and records of attendance), a list of current labor-management conference representatives (including amendments) and other relevant documents to the Ministry of Labor and obtain a letter of receipt from the Ministry. When the company applies to the Taiwan Stock Exchange for listing on the stock exchange (or over-the-counter markets), the application, together with the above mentioned receipts should be submitted for review.

The Ministry of Labor stated that after the Labor Standards Act was revised, public concern regarding whether labor-management conferences were held according to the law increased. Therefore the Ministry has strengthened implementation of labor-management conferences through various administrative measures, such as requiring companies to attach documents relevant to labor-management conferences when submitting applications for “type B” foreign workers and, with local governments, jointly promote, train or hold on site counseling for business entities to convene labor-management conferences. In view of the fact that listed companies should do their utmost to ensure the corporate social responsibility of protecting workers' rights and interests, therefore, the above mentioned adjustments will be made to the reviewed practice of holding Labor-management Conferences in accordance with the law.

Considering that listed companies should do their utmost to ensure the corporate social responsibility of protecting workers' rights and interests, the Ministry has made the above adjustments for the review of “holding labor-management conferences according to the law”.

The Ministry of Labor emphasized that in order not to affect companies' application for listing on the stock exchange (or over-the-counter markets), this adjustment in review practices will be implemented in stages. Starting September 1 to December 31, 2018 will be the promotional phase. The adjustments will be officially implemented on January 1, 2019 and in four phases, with the number of labor-management conferences records gradually increasing. After October 1, 2019, applicant companies need to submit meetings minutes (and other related documents) for labor-management conferences, which, in accordance with the law, should be held at least four times every three month for the year before the date of delivery.

In order to prepare the applicant companies for the changes, the Ministry of Labor has requested the Taiwan Stock Exchange and Taipei Exchange to inform the relevant institutions of the modified procedures. The Ministry will also explain the new procedures during promotional events starting in September and welcome business entities with such need to participate.

Keywords: Labor-Management Conference, Public Offering Company, Listed Company

In order to further encourage employers to assist employees in childcare and set up childcare facilities, the Ministry of Labor revised and publicized Article 4 of the Regulations on Subsidy and Standards for Establishing Breastfeeding (Breast Milk Collection) Rooms, Childcare Facilities and Measures on July 31 of this year (2018), increasing the maximum amount of subsidies given to employers for the construction of new childcare facilities from NT$2 million to NT$3 million.

The Ministry of Labor established the Regulations on Subsidy and Standards for Establishing Breastfeeding (Breast Milk Collection) Rooms, Childcare Facilities and Measures according to Article 23 of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment. Employers who set up breastfeeding (breast milk collection) rooms or childcare facilities or provide childcare subsidies for employees are eligible to apply for subsidies regardless of the size of their companies. In order to create a family-friendly workplace environment by making sure employees can fulfill both work and family obligations, while taking into consideration current price levels and the actual funding needs of employers in building childcare facilities, the maximum subsidy for employers to build new childcare facilities has been raised to NT$3 million.

The Ministry of Labor added that the maximum amount of subsidies given to employers who construct new childcare facilities will be NT$3 million for the first year. Afterwards, employers may continue to apply for subsidies for five consecutive years, with a maximum subsidy of NT$500,000 per year. In addition, the maximum subsidy for those employers who provide childcare allowances to their employees is NT$600,000 per year; the maximum subsidy for those who establish employee breastfeeding (breast milk collection) rooms is NT$20,000.

The Ministry of Labor expressed that the Ministry provides free on-site counseling by experts in order to assist businesses in the planning and establishment of such facilities and enterprises are welcome to make use of this service. Please visit the Childcare and Breastfeeding (Breast Milk Collection) Room Information Network for more information.

Keywords: Employer-funded Childcare, Employee Breastfeeding (Breast Milk Collection) Room, Financial Subsidy

Labor Minister Hsu was invited by the National Association of Government Labor Officials (NAGLO in U.S.) to attend the 2018 conference the morning of July 23 (US time) in Missoula, Montana, and to give the opening speech. She was accompanied by the administrative Deputy Minister, Lin San-Quei.

Minister Hsu was the first labor minister invited to attend the NAGLO Annual Conference since the Ministry of Labor was established. The invitation has great significance in contributing to deepen the labor relations between Taiwan and the US. The conference was attended by the US federal labor administration officials, the state labor agency directors and the relevant labor administrators. During the conference Minister Hsu gave a speech entitled Taiwan's Labor Policy in Response to New Changes.

Minister Hsu first explained the five national policy directions and six major labor policy claims put forward by President Tsai Ing-wen, and, in line with the President's policy, the Ministry of Labor come up with four main policy objectives of "ensuring safe workplace environments, increasing job security, promoting labor conditions, and promoting labor-management relations".

Minister Hsu also shared relevant data on Taiwan's labor market, including the labor situation and average working hours and wages, explaining the country is facing a declining and aging population and labor force; this, along with the fact that the young people are entering the labor force later and retiring earlier coupled with an emigrating population and influx of immigrants, is causing a shortage in both labor and talent.

Also, the Minister Hsu discussed the themes of this year's conference by sharing Taiwan's experience, including assistance of drug addicts and rehabilitated persons in employment, the implementation status of the Employment Insurance Act, formulation of key points in the draft of the Labor Dispute Act, increase in labor inspection manpower, and promotion of occupational injury reduction strategies such as supervision and inspections of high-risk industries to effectively decrease occupational accidents.

Secretaries of labor from various states inquired into the causes of the late entry of Taiwan's workforce and asked about the issues such as parental leave staying home taking care of children, for which Minister Hsu gave a detailed explanation and engaged in the discussion. The participating secretaries of labor believe that rapid globalization and digitalization results in common challenges faced by labor markets in many countries and that it is necessary to seek more effective solutions through an exchange of opinions at similar meetings.

Keywords: National Association of Government Labor Officials (NAGLO), Taiwan-US Labor Cooperation, Four Major Policy Objectives of the Ministry of Labor

The annual skill competition--the 48th National Skill Competition cum Member Selection Competition for the 45th WorldSkills Competition began on August 6. A total of 788 young players from all corners of Taiwan gathered together to compete in the biggest competition in the skill circle.

According to the Ministry of Labor, the National Skill Competition is the largest youth skill event in the country. Contestants were winners of the April divisional competition, standing out from a total of 3,095 competitors. This time, there was a total of 47 categories, divided into the six major groups of social and individual services, construction techniques, manufacturing engineering and techniques, transportation and logistics, information technology, and art and fashion. Contestants checked in on August 6 and the competitions were held from August 7 to 9 for a total of three days and 18 hours of hands-on competition. The awards were handed out on August 10.

Competitors in 42 categories of this year's and previous years' national competitions were reevaluated. Those who scored in the top five had the opportunity to participate in the national selection and represented Taiwan in the 45th WorldSkills Competition, organized by WorldSkills International (WSI), striving for higher honors and winning glory for Taiwan on the international stage.

In order to promote the 45th WorldSkills Competition to be held in Kazan in 2019, Russia is preparing the WSI flag passing event. After receiving the flag in Abu Dhabi in October 2017, the WSI flag was launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia and returned to earth in February 2018. The flag relay started in Spain and will be passed through the 20 participating countries, with Taiwan being the final stop. The Russian delegation handed the flag over on August 6, at the opening ceremony of the NationalSkills Competition. Past national champions and the contestants for this year were invited to witness this historic moment.

Keywords: National Skill Competition, National Trials for WorldSkills Competition, WorldSkills Competition

The Ministry of Labor held the presentation ceremony for the Five Star Award for Excellent Businesses for Occupational Health and Safety cum Golden Safety Award for Public Works on September 5, 2018, at National Taiwan University Hospital's International Convention Center. The awards were presented jointly by Deputy Minister Shih Keh-Her and Deputy Minister of the Public-Construction Commission Yan Jeou-Rong. In addition to affirming the award-winning companies and construction project organizers, the winners are expected to continue their promotion of workplace health and safety.

In his speech, Deputy Minister Shih stated that the annual selection rewards are for those enterprises and public works project organizers which have implemented health and safety measures to identify them as role models for others in the industry. A total of eight excellent enterprises won this year's Five Star awards, of which the engine division of Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, showing long term commitment to the promotion of occupational health and safety and establishing a safe, healthy, happy and friendly workplace, has won the award for the fourth time. Dragon Steel's hot rolling mill plant has formulated the 12 Regulations for Industrial Safety, which it invites employees and contractors to memorize and implement in order to realize a corporate culture of safety. Based on a spirit of "Respect for People", Panasonic Taiwan Co., Ltd, committed itself to achieving a "safe and comfortable workplace beneficial to physical and mental health".

In addition, 11 construction projects won the Golden Safety Award for Public Works and 16 received honorable mentions. Of which, the " West Coast Expressway 204k+530~209k+087 (WH52 bidding project): New Construction from Hsinchieh to Daheng" adopted a safe construction method after undergoing quantitative risk assessment in order to control and manage risk effectively; the main authority of the Pingzhen National Sports Center turnkey project established the Engineering Construction Data and Occupational Health and Safety Center, which included health and safety measures into the appraisal for bidding and selection so that measures for occupational accident reduction are included in the project planning and design stage to improve construction safety.

The Ministry of Labor hopes that award-winning corporations and public works project organizers can disseminate corporate cultures of excellent occupational health and safety to relevant businesses and construction sites. The Ministry will also continue to work with project organizers such as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and strive towards zero occupational accidents so all workers can work and grow in a more dignified and safe environment!

Keywords: Five Star Award for Excellent Businesses for Occupational Health and Safety, Golden Safety Award for Public Works, Zero Occupational Accidents