Foreign

LaborPumpkin, Claire,

Michelle, Shana, Kevin, Nancy

Introduction • Not only south-east Asian blue-collar

workers

• Compared to the white-collar, the blue-collar is Institutionally discriminated

not protected by 勞基法

• Better to call “migrant worker” ( 移工 )

Reasons to usher in the migrant workers:1. “Supplement” inadequate domestic

workers

2. Expansion of higher education

3. Changes of work values

Employer signs with agency

Foreign agency advertise to

attract workers

Interview

Employer apply for official

qualification

Workers apply for

exit

Come to Taiwan

Category Qualified applicant

Factory Worker

Special production process: dirty, labor-taking, dangerousSpecial work time: 10:00 p.m.~ 6:00 a.m.

Construction Worker

Total budget of civil or national construction over one million NT, construction period over 1 years and 6 months.

Caretaker 1. Certificate of diagnosis by hospital especially for applying foreign caretaker: Barthel Index (巴氏量表 ) below 35

2. Sever Disability Handbook

Domestic Helper

1. Having triplet or multiple births under 3 years old

2. the same household register, Over 16 points

The Barthel Index consists of 10 items that measure a person's daily functioning specifically the activities of daily living and mobility.Patient Name:  __________________   Rater: ____________________  Date:      /     /              :      

Activity Score

Feeding0 = unable5 = needs help cutting, spreading butter, etc., or requires modified diet10 = independent

0     5    10

Bathing0 = dependent5 = independent (or in shower)

0        5

Grooming0 = needs to help with personal care5 = independent face/hair/teeth/shaving (implements provided)

0     5

Dressing0 = dependent5 = needs help but can do about half unaided10 = independent (including buttons, zips, laces, etc.)

0     5     10

Bowels0 = incontinent (or needs to be given enemas)5 = occasional accident10 = continent

0     5    10

監 護 工 雇 主 基本薪資 健保費 就業安定費 基本負擔 加班費 總薪資

金 額 15,840 911 2,000 18,7512,112

(4 天 ) 20,863

家 庭 幫 傭

雇 主 基本薪資 健保費 就業安定費 基本負擔 加班費 總薪資

金 額 15,840 911 5,000 21,7512,112

(4 天 ) 23,863 安 養 機 構 看 護 工

雇 主 基本薪資 健保費 勞保費 ( 職

災 ) 就業安定費 基本負擔 加班費

金 額 17,280 911

786職災 0.08%

依勞保局規定 2,000 20,977 96 元 / 時

廠 勞 / 營 造 工

雇 主 基本薪資 健保費 勞保費 ( 職

災 ) 就業安定費 基本負擔 加班費

金 額 17,280 911

786 職災依

產業類別不同 2,000 20,977 96 元 / 時

外 勞 須 負 擔項            目 金                  額健  保  費 $ 236

勞 保  費 $ 225 ( 安養機構看護工與產業勞工才需付擔 )

體  檢  費 $ 1,500-2,800 ( 依照醫院規定收費 ) 居留證展延費 2 年 $ 1,000( 第三年展延 +$1,000)

THE INCENTIVES

1.High wages 2.Ambitious

expectation3.New life

High Wages

• Low-developed countries :

Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippine…etc.

• Few opportunity to find a job

• A job with poor salary

• The massive difference in

different currency.

Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) and New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) currency exchange rate

• The Indonesian Rupiah is the currency in Indonesia (ID, IDN). The symbol for IDR can be written Rp.

• 1.0 TWD = 285.714285714 IDR• 300 IDR = 1.05 TWD

Vietnamese đồng and New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) currency exchange rate

• The đồng is the currency of Vietnam.

• 100.0 VND = 0.1683 TWD • 1.0 TWD = 594.125574 VND

Ambitious Expectation• Great Ambition.

• Working abroad as a glory.

• A sense of achievement.

New Life•Miserable lives in original countries.

•Look forward to the developed and high-civilized society.

•Get rid off the local burdens and limitations.

The Agency System

Quota• Maximum control: 3 native labors1 foreign labor

• Not allow to change employer at will

• Employment Services Act: if the employer deceased, he/she can

transfer to work for new employer within 2 months; otherwise, he/she should be repatriated.

Problems• Agents: rather repatriate the foreign worker to get

new quota and earn the agency fee

• Case: Ask the foreign labor to run errands notify the police of “escape” the foreign labor being caught,

repatriated the agent apply for new quota

Exploitation

Agency Fee• Council of Labor Affairs: no more than the

foreign labor’s base pay (15,840)

• Illegal agency: range from90,000~200,000

• Deduct from the foreign labor’s payment directly (usually include some excessive/illegal charge)

• Also need to pay for native country's agency

How Much do They Get?• 3 years’ income: around 750,000 = base pay

15,840/month + overtime 88~132/hr + incentive pay 1,000~2,000/month + average pay 21,000/month

• 3 years’ expense: around 450,000 = agency fee 120,000 + administrative expenses 60,000 + health checkup 9,000 + residence permit charge 3,000 + board and lodging 108,000 + labor/health insurance 14,040 + air ticket per year 24,000 + forced savings 108,000+ living expenses 36,000

• After working for 3 years:

•750,000 – 450,000 = 300,000

In Reality…• Insufficient payment

• Improper deduction by agent

• Without basic labor/health insurance

• Without deserved rest/holiday

• Residence permit/passport/cell phone are detained by agent

• Example: Joseph’s story

Conclusion

• Unreasonable high agency fee

• Forbid to change employer at will

• Inhuman management/exploitation

the main reason that cause

foreign labors to run away

A foreign labor who worked as a fisherman, trying to escape from the mean agent but fall from the third floor, seriously injured.

Discrimination• Three Indonesian Muslim workers

forced to eat pork in Taiwan –AP,10 May 2010

• Abuse case shows lack of knowledge of Muslim culture: Arab officials -CAN,22 May 2010

Muslim migrant workers rally for their religious rights

Discrimination• Employer asks Muslim migrant labor to

fill out a guarantee before they work:

• Able to eat pork

• Able to take care of dogs

• Not to perform salat

Maltreatment• Work more than 18 hours

a day

• Be imprisoned to prevent

from running away

• Take care of employer’s life after work

1 9 5 5• Four languages: Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino and Indonesian

• To help migrant labor out for discrimination and maltreatment

• Cases are handled by local government

　　Ｎ ot Ｅ fficient

Employer’s Stances

Native vs. Foreign• Native labors don’t take the 3D jobs. (3D: Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous)

Native vs. Foreign (Domestic Labor)Native labor Foreign labor

Monthly Salary

12 hrs/day 30,000

24 hrs/day 50,000-60,000

Basic 15840 + overtime (Sundays) 2112+ other 20,000 ≒

Communication

The same language(s)

Unfamiliar languages + English or a little Mandarin.

Ask for leave

More likely Less likely

Lifestyle Mostly similar With cultural and religious differences

Working attitude

More egocentric More obedient

Woman and Domestic Labor

• The traditional pressure of housekeeping • The outsourcing chain of domestic labor Taiwan woman (richer)

↓hire Philippine woman (normal) ↓hire

Philippine woman (poorer)

Concerns

• Runaway

• Crime

• Self-identification(e.g. cultural or racial

superiority, good mothers and good wives)

The Story of Culture:

to be, or not to be

a Taiwanese

Background

insufficient working opportunities

better working condition

higher salary

Official Activities— Songkran Festival

Songkran Festival in Chung-Ho

Business Exchange Market

Philippine Street

Burban Street

Thai Street

ReligionST. Christoph Church on Chung-Shan North Road

The mosque on Hsin-Sheng South Road

Cuisines—Thai food

Cuisine—Vietnamese Food

Cuisine—Burman Food

Cuisine—Indonesian Food

POPO-CHIACHIA—

Malaysian Food

Discussion • 1. How do you view the trend of foreign brides?

• 2. Is there any foreign bride live close to your neighborhood? How do you feel about them?

• 3. After listening to our presentation, what do you think that we can do to improve this situation?

4. Talk about your impression or experience about foreign labor in Taiwan.

5. After you graduate, you get married and have to go to work. You need a domestic helper to take care of your housework and kids. Would you prefer hiring a native worker or a foreign worker? Why?

6. Do you think that the foreign labors influence the unemployment rate in Taiwan?

7. Imagine someday you cannot find a job in Taiwan, and you heard there is plenty of domestic helper jobs in Mainland China or Japan . How high should the salary be for you to accept the job?

• Grade your group:

• Group leaders give a grade to each of your group members at the end of the day.

• Rules:

• Grade on a bell curve

• Only 1 person can get an A

• One person must get below a B