Taiwanese labor

Why Did Demonstrations Against Labor Law Changes Not Become Another Sunflower Movement?

Brian Hioe
Looking back on recent demonstrations against the Tsai administration’s planned changes to the Labor Standards Act, it may do well to review some of the reasons as to why protests did not spark anything on the scale of the Sunflower Movement, and why these demonstrations were, in that way, ultimately unsuccessful. Namely, these demonstrations in many ways replicated the dynamics of the Sunflower Movement, just less successfully. Perhaps this ultimately returns to structural shifts in Taiwanese society since 2014...
EnglishJanuary 2018LaborSocial Movements10 min read

Aesthetics And Politics In Demonstrations Against Labor Law Changes

Brian Hioe
Although it may have failed in preventing the changes from passing in the end, demonstrations against the Tsai administration's changes to the Labor Standards Act developed a unique visual language. Namely, in the past few years, a sign of the “maturity” of any social movement in Taiwan is that movement developing a unique visual language of its own. We might examine the characteristics of protest art during demonstrations against the Labor Standards Act, then...
#20EnglishJanuary 2018LaborSocial Movements10 min read

A Coming Storm After The Passage Of Labor Law Changes?

Brian Hioe
With the passage of the Tsai administration’s planned changes to the Labor Standards Act this morning, it seems that organized labor, Taiwanese youth activists, and Third Force parties have suffered a defeat. But this may return to the present challenge of Taiwanese politics—to break with the DPP in a manner which advances the progressive politics which the DPP no longer is the standard bearer of...
#20EnglishJanuary 2018LaborSocial Movements15 min read

As Protests Continue, Why Is The DPP So Intent On Passing Labor Law Changes, Anyway?

Brian Hioe
The camp-out against the Tsai administration’s planned changes to the Labor Standards Act continues into its second day, with it being anticipated that the changes will see their third reading today within the Legislative Yuan. At this juncture, it may be useful to examine why exactly the DPP is so intent on passing through changes to the Labor Standards Act...
#20EnglishJanuary 2018LaborSocial Movements13 min read

Camp-Out Against Labor Law Begins, Attempts Made To Storm City Streets

Brian Hioe
Protests against the Tsai administration’s planned changes to the Labor Standards Act continues. Today saw the start of a weeklong camp-out outside the Legislative Yuan in order to demonstrate the planned changes, as well as a dramatic action by students intended to escalate events, with attempts to block Zhongshan South Road, Beiping North Road, Civic Boulevard, and other roads. However, the day also began with the dismantling of the New Power Party’s occupation against the planned changes by police in the early morning hours...
#20EnglishJanuary 2018LaborSocial Movements8 min read

NPP Occupation In Front Of Presidential Office Continues Past 24 Hours

Brian Hioe
As the New Power Party's occupation in front of the Presidential Office continues past its 24th hour, shock and outrage has ensued against the Tsai administration for the disproportionate police reaction against demonstrations against planned changes to the Labor Standards Act. This includes police setting up a restricted area around the Presidential Office so large that Taiwanese media has dubbed it to be the "largest restricted area in Taiwanese history"...
#20EnglishJanuary 2018LaborSocial Movements9 min read

Outrage From Activists Over Police Actions During Labor Demonstration

Brian Hioe
Outrage continues from Taiwanese activists regarding the actions taken by police against demonstrations against the Tsai administration’s planned labor laws on December 23rd. Outrage has centered around the kettling of activists without any legal justification provided by police for detaining the freedom of movement of citizens, an incident in which the clothes of a woman being dragged onto a police bus were torn off and her hands were bound with a belt, and the arrest of lawyers...
#20December 2017EnglishLaborSocial Movements9 min read

Protests Against Labor Law Changes See Clashes Not Seen Since Sunflower Movement

Brian Hioe
The protests against planned labor law changes by the Tsai administration that took place yesterday may end up being remembered as historic for Taiwanese labor, in marking the start of what will be remembered as a new era of labor militancy. There probably has not been any protest as dramatic or intense since the Sunflower Movement, even if protests ended with a number of arrests....
#20December 2017EnglishLaborSocial Movements16 min read