TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Higher Education Union (THEU) criticized the government on Tuesday (Dec. 26) for its plan to grant a selective 4 percent pay increase to civil servants, including military and education personnel, next year.
This leaves approximately 70 percent of technical and administrative staff at universities, totaling over 21,000 workers, uncertain about their raises. THEU expressed concern about the lack of a clear wage adjustment plan, which they deem detrimental to employee morale and causing division among staff.
The group of uncertain workers includes employees in certified and non-certified positions at private universities. THEU held a press conference, urging the government not to leave the salaries of non-certified staff to the discretion of universities.
According to Lin Po-yi, the director of THEU's organization department, there are approximately 31,000 full-time staff members at universities and colleges, but only around 9,000 public employees are certain about their pay rise for the next year.
As the presidential elections approach, Lin voiced concern that the struggles of grassroots workers in institutions offering tertiary education are being overlooked.
THEU emphasized that there should be no exceptions for wage adjustments and called for national wage increases to apply to all university staff, with appropriate subsidies provided.
