Taiwan’s Cabinet has approved a draft of the minimum wage bill. (Photo: CNA)
Taiwan’s Cabinet approved a draft minimum wage bill on Thursday, fulfilling a campaign promise of President Tsai Ing-wen (???). The bill has a total of 19 articles, with a focus on establishing a Minimum Wage Review Committee consisting of labor, business, political, and education experts. They will meet quarterly to ensure timely adjustments to the minimum wage.
The bill also requires the committee to consider the consumer price index (CPI) when making its decisions, in order to protect workers’ purchasing power from inflation. There will be a consensus-based decision-making process, with a majority vote as a backup. It also states a penalty of NT$20,000 to NT$100,000 (US$667 to US$3,333) for employers who pay below the minimum wage, depending on the violation degree and scale of the enterprise.
After the bill is passed, the ministry will work to establish other supporting mechanisms, such as review meetings and research groups. The ministry hopes that the law will help to ensure that the minimum wage is adjusted in a stable and predictable manner, in order to boost the income and support the living standards of workers and their families.
