Taiwan News
Date: 2015-08-15
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The monthly wage for foreign domestic workers could be raised
Higher wages for foreign domestics possible. Central News Agency
to NT$17,500 (US$543) in the first hike in 18 years following pressure from their home countries, reports said Saturday.
The Ministry of Labor was scheduled to hold more bilateral talks with the main suppliers of domestic helpers, namely Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, before the end of the month, the Chinese-language United Evening News reported.
In previous rounds of talks, the ministry reportedly took a hard line, but recently, the three Southeast Asian countries joined up to demand a wage hike from the present NT$15,840 (US$491) a month to NT$17,500, making Taiwan less likely to be able to resist pressure. However, the MOL was still hoping it could implement a hike before the end of the year if the new salary was lower than NT$17,000 (US$527), the newspaper reported.
The MOL was preparing several scenarios and formulas which would result in the total wage staying below NT$17,000, reports said. Low-income families could benefit from reductions in employing a foreign domestic. Families with small children or elderly in poor health are the main beneficiaries of using foreign helpers. [FULL STORY]
