Great news to share with fellow brothers and sisters:

Today, the Maritime Port Bureau invited CSEU to exchange opinions on the draft exemplar for indefinite employment contract for seafarers. President Carols Wang, Researcher Chen Boqian, and Deputy General Secretary Pan Zongxuan represented our union at the meeting held in the Bureau’s Kaohsiung Office. Representing the Bureau, delegation is key members from the Bureau’s Seafarer Group: Vice Group Leader Li Chenyu, who previously received our petition; Section Chief Lin Chengzhang; Technical Specialist Cai Boyan; and Ms. Qian Kailin responsible for drafting. The bureau displayed great sincere for this meeting as they made a journey from Taipei to Kaohsiung for a discussion with CSEU.

When we received the draft from the Bureau on December 4th, we were deeply moved. The Bureau fully accepted all nine proposed amendments that the union initially put forth, validating the entirely reasonable stance of the union. This demonstrates that when all seafarer brothers stand united, the union can compel the government to recognize our demands and hear our voices.

We're very thrilled about this draft—it's a significant step forward in safeguarding seafarers' rights, nearly flawless in its approach. The only exception is that the current draft doesn't specify the duration within which shipping companies must reassign crew members after they disembark. Upon the union's request, the Bureau committed to a maximum period of six months for crew reassignment; within this time frame, shipping companies must redeploy crew members.

The draft does mention that after disembarkation, crew members have the option to seek employment elsewhere. However, it's important to emphasize that shore leave in between intermittent contracts aims to provide necessary rest after intense work, not an opportunity to earn additional wages. Continuing work during this period could impact the physical and mental well-being of the crew. The Bureau has swiftly acknowledged these concerns and made amendments during the meeting.

Today, the Bureau shows its concern and support for all seafarers. We believe that seafarers, the union, and the government can join hands and expedite the establishment of indefinite contracts for seafarers. In case of political oppression, we'll disclose details and initiate a recall petition. We encourage all seafarers in Taiwan to unite in overseeing and contributing to the creation of employment contracts that can effectively safeguard your work rights.