President Ma Ying-jeou, in the company of Premier Wu Den-yih and Labor Affairs Minister Wang Ju-hsuan, headed on the morning of May 1 to New Taipei City's Xindian District, where he attended the 2011 Greater Taipei Vocational Training and Employment Fair. The event, held at the Culture Theater in Magong Park, was organized in conjunction with Labor Day to exhibit concern for the job market needs of the nation's workers and employers. Officials expressed their hope that this type of event would provide a platform to help place workers in suitable jobs.
The president declared that the government works hard to safeguard the interests of laborers, and pointed to the three major labor acts, namely the Labor Union Act, the Collective Bargaining Agreement Act, and the Act for Settlement of Labor Disputes, saying that amendments to this body of legislation are taking effect as of today to better protect the interests of laborers. He furthermore said that the Council of Labor Affairs works in cooperation with the Legal Aid Foundation to help laborers file labor dispute litigation. To date, labor has won over 2,000 cases and received over NT$440 million in compensation. In addition, the income replacement rate under the Labor Insurance annuity scheme can be up to 70%. President Ma expressed confidence that these actions are helping to provide better protection for the lives of laborers.
The president remarked that the government has significantly improved the employment environment here over the past two-plus years, and concrete results have been achieved. As a result, Taiwan's economic rebound has exhibited four characteristics: high growth in employment; innovation; energy conservation & carbon reduction; and regional economic integration. President Ma stressed that while economic growth has been impressive, the nation needs a more equal distribution of income. Consequently, the government is turning to what is known as "transfer payments" to increase the incomes of underprivileged groups. The president cited the example of the Public Assistance Act, which will take effect on July 1 this year. This law raises the poverty line to a monthly income of NT$10,244, thus benefitting an anticipated 850,000 people and helping to further reduce the wealth gap. The president also said that the institution of a tax on selected goods and services will help return housing to reasonable prices and make it more affordable for young people. Furthermore, the promotion of several rent subsidy plans along with affordable housing and social housing projects will gradually improve the ability of younger people to shoulder rental burdens.
After concluding his remarks, the president toured the different parts of the fair, including a job hunting area, a vocational training display area, a value-added services area, and a company start-up area. The visit helped the president better understand where labor market mismatches exist and how to mitigate them.