Today, the China Steel Express Union and China Steel Express engaged in a labor-management mediation at the Labor Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City. Throughout the mediation, the union steadfastly adhered to the four resolutions put forth by the members' representative assembly:

 

1. All employment contracts for our maritime members should be converted to    indefinite contracts.
2. Our members should receive employee remuneration on par with office staff, with retroactive pay for the past five years.
3. China Steel Express should transition the positions currently held by mainland China crew members to our maritime members by September 1, 2023.
4. Moving forward, China Steel Express must obtain the consent of the Union for the employment of any foreign crew members, regardless of their nationality.

 

In the past few years, in order to illuminate the exploitation and challenges faced by seafarers, we have undertaken impactful initiatives:

 

• Monthly Labor Education Sessions (2023): Four sessions per month focused on labor laws and regulations, aimed at informing seafarers and the public about their rights.
• Legislative Yuan Petition: Actively petitioning at the Legislative Yuan to draw attention to the need for legislative support in addressing seafarers' challenges.
• Press Conferences – Ministry of Transportation and Communication: Addressing the potential national security impact of using foreign crew.
• Seminars on Seafarers’ Labor Rights: Organizing international seminars dedicated to discussing and promoting seafarers’ rights.
• Industry Forums: Organizing forums covering the maritime, land, and air industries to highlight interconnected challenges faced by seafarers.
• Attendance at China Steel Shareholders’ Meeting: Direct engagement with shareholders to raise awareness and garner support for seafarers’ issues.

 

These endeavors have effectively captured the public's attention and compelled the company to seriously consider the union's demands. Today's mediation represents the outcome of our sustained efforts to address labor disputes. Notably, it marks a significant departure from past practices, as high-level executives from the company, including Vice President Lin Jinjun and Assistant Manager Meng, are participating in face-to-face negotiations with the union. This shift contrasts with the previous strategy of delegating lawyers to handle negotiations. The union delegation, headed by the President and accompanied by Lawyer Shao Yunliang and the Deputy Secretary-General, is actively engaged in these discussions.

 

During mediation, the company expressed a cooperative stance, emphasizing importance of communication between labor-management meetings. They portrayed the situation as a misunderstanding and showed attempt to pacify the union. However, the union wouldn’t easily compromise on decisions made by our members to defend crew members’ rights.

 

The company's stance on the relationship with seafarers appeared bureaucratic and ambiguous:

 

• They asserted seafarers as the company's prime assets, promising continuous employment. Yet, they justified their actions by pointing to the widespread use of fixed-term contracts in the shipping industry.
• They cited the need for court confirmation on retirement cases to determine employment nature. Simultaneously, they defended the absence of an indefinite contract template by the Bureau as the reason for not offering such contracts to seafarers.
• Regarding seafarers from mainland China, the company claimed a high proportion of Taiwanese crew, using foreign crew temporarily as replacement during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they deemed terminating contracts with mainland China crews, as per the union's request, impractical.
• In compromising on the hiring of foreign crew members, the union proposed maintaining the current proportion of mainland China crew members without further increases. The company, however, rejected the proposal and refused any commitments.

 

Despite the union's repeated understanding and concessions in the mediation, the company maintained a bureaucratic stance, often adopting an attitude of "willing to discuss everything but refusing to agree to anything." This approach nearly brought the mediation to a standstill, as the union was unwilling to compromise on core values and the right to return to work after disembarking.

 

Led by Lawyer Shao Yunliang, the union reiterated its bottom line: "The company should prioritize the working rights of CSEU members. Upon the expiration of fixed-term contracts with foreign crew, Taiwanese union members should be employed for the same positions." At first, the company hesitated and resorted to wordplay. However, the turning point occurred when the Chairman of the Labor Affairs Bureau prompted the company to carefully consider the significant concessions made by the union. This intervention was crucial, as further delays from the company could have jeopardized the mediation, with the company bearing responsibility for the potential failure. Acknowledging this, the company's representative admitted that the decision lay in the hands of higher-ranking officials, and consultation with their superiors was necessary. The second round of mediation is slated for July 31 to delve into more detailed matters.

 

In the late 19th century, Western countries sought rapid economic development by increasing working hours and labor intensity, pushing laborers to their absolute limits. In those times, laborers worked 14 to 16 hours a day without rest for an entire month while the employers could withhold or refuse to pay wages. Then in 1877, a nationwide strike erupted in the United States, with workers taking to the streets, demanding a reduction in working hours and the implementation of an 8-hour workday. After decades of arduous struggle, European and American workers finally secured the privilege of a 9-to-5 workday and weekends off. They coined the slogan "8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure, 8 hours of sleep." This wage system can be briefly referred to as the "888 work system." Over the past century, labor organizations have played an important role in promoting decent work, safeguarding labor rights, protecting the rights of vulnerable groups and women, and eliminating child labor.

 

Labor movements and labor rights in Taiwan have lagged behind European and American countries for decades. Labor rights and benefits have only been achieved through the self-awareness and struggles of workers. We have obtained the benefits of a two-day weekend, special leave, year-end bonuses, and labor directors, all of which were fought for by the early labor unions. In comparison, labor organizations in Taiwan are just beginning to fight for a three-day weekend, while the working hours of seafarers remain at 44 hours per week. The union will continue to fight for the labor rights of seafarers. It is essential for all brothers to unite and support the union's actions to create our own glory.