Premier Jiang Yi-huah today met with leaders and representatives of Taiwan's labor unions at an annual dinner hosted by the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA). The premier said it was his first meeting with union leaders since taking office and welcomed the opportunity to hear their suggestions and exchange views.
"Labor unions and their leaders and staff serve as an important mediator between the government and workers around the country," Jiang said. Unions convey important information on labor policies, regulations and amendments to laws to the workers, and also provide a channel for workers to voice their opinions back to the CLA.
The premier thanked the CLA for championing workers' interests over the years and had high praise for CLA Minister Pan Shih-wei. Though Pan comes from an academic background, he clearly understands the needs of workers and the difficulties they face, Jiang said.