On the morning of August 19, President Ma Ying-jeou attended an activity to mark the achievements of the nation's labor insurance program, which now has seen over 10 million individuals enrolled. The president applauded the labor insurance system for protecting the interests of laborers in the workplace and in their private lives, and called on the Ministry of Labor to continue policies that enhance the wellbeing of laborers, thereby further driving Taiwan's economic development.
President Ma noted that when the ROC government first established its labor insurance program 64 years ago in 1950, enrollees were originally few, but their numbers have grown over the years, and the insurance program has become a reliable benefit for labor. For instance, he remarked, today the number of enrollees has hit 10 million, which marks an important milestone in labor rights protection in Taiwan.
President Ma recalled that the labor pension system and the national pension system came into force just one year after he took office in 2008. As for the labor pension system, the president said, laborers used to receive lump sum payments upon retirement, but now they can choose to receive monthly payments, which afford greater dignity in one's senior years. He pointed out that the percentage of laborers opting for monthly payments rather than lump sum payments rose from 66% in 2009 to 80% in the first half of this year. Meanwhile, labor insurance coverage includes benefits for maternity, injury, sickness, disability, old-age, death, and workplace accidents, the president noted. The scope of coverage is quite broad, which helps boost the morale of laborers, he added.
As for the financing of labor insurance, the president acknowledged, labor insurance, civil servant and teacher insurance, and insurance for military personnel could face funding pressure in the future, which is why the government implemented reforms two years ago. President Ma noted that the labor insurance system is on better financial footing than the other insurance systems. He added that instructors and staff at private schools previously sought to be included in the labor insurance system, which points to the attractiveness of labor insurance.
President Ma also mentioned that Taiwan's even-tempered and efficient laborers are an important force for economic development, so it is all the more important for the government to fully promote the rights of laborers. For instance, he remarked, maternity benefits have recently been increased from one month of salary to two, and women who give birth to twins can now receive double benefits. Women who bear twins, said the president, are doubly burdened by childcare obligations, and it might make sense to further raise the subsidies they receive, so as to encourage people to have more children. In addition, President Ma stated, to reduce the burden on young couples who have children, the government also provides them with parental leave allowance. This enables the parents of young children to take six-month leave on a rotating basis while receiving 60% of their insured salaries. Over the five years that this initiative has been in place, over 200,000 laborers have benefited, he said, noting that over NT$10 billion has been paid out. President Ma added that this program has been cited by the World Bank as the best protection for women.
The president further stated that he has actively strived to safeguard the interests of labor since taking office. For example, the Labor Rights Fund was established in 2009. When a laborer is dismissed without cause, the fund will provide financial assistance during litigation to defray living expenses, he said. To date, laborers have obtained over NT$1 billion in compensation, he stated. In addition, the president explained, improved living conditions have been seen for laborers, and payouts under the labor pension system have been raised to the point where they are comparable with those under the national pension system. This has been done so that laborers can do their jobs with peace of mind, he commented.
Lastly, the president said that it was gratifying to see the number of labor insurance enrollees hit 10 million so soon after the former Council of Labor Affairs was formally upgraded to the Ministry of Labor at the beginning of this year. He called on the Ministry of Labor to continue promote policies to enhance the wellbeing of laborers. A well-run labor insurance system will help to further drive Taiwan's economic development, he commented.