Beyond survival:Migrant workers'' leisure time in Taiwan
Date Issued
2014
Date
2014
Author(s)
Lin, Ling-Ying
Abstract
Since the foreign workers’ introducing and implementing policy was officially launched in 1989, migrant workers have become an indispensable work force in the industry of manufacturing, construction, and fishing, let alone the household in Taiwan. They play an essential part in the basic level of Taiwan’s labour force. Nevertheless, it seems that our policy, regulations, and even the whole society focus merely on enhancing the value of output per unit of labour and reducing their hiring cost. Their demands for being treat like “human being” and equal human rights are largely invisible to the employers and the management.
Migrant workers are not working machines. How do they stand on their dignity on their leisure time? This essay provides a picture of migrant workers’ off day life. Sharing the same language, culture, food, and religious belief, migrants have gradually built up their sense of belonging and identification during gathering, from places like the Southeast Asia shopping district around the train stations, restaurants, church to everywhere. They are not alone when uniting. They are no longer foreigners who feel like rootless floating weeds. When they are off duty, they learn to depict their own living picture, where their desire for personal affection and labor rights can be achieved.
Therefore, the importance of day off for migrant worker cannot be overemphasized. For them, it is not simply a relaxing time but also a time to rebuild the social relationship in the foreign country they work for. With the freedom that workers can enjoy during this period, they can set up conscious of labor and human rights which was disguised on their daily work. This article argues that the root cause of migrant workers problem results from the issue of insufficient day off, which also explains the appearance of the following problems like labor right, social and culture right, and citizenship. Therefore, we believe that when it comes to labour right, holiday entitlement of migrant workers is always the top priority and the most noteworthy issue as well.
Subjects
移工
外籍漁工
家務移工
休假權
休閒生活
SDGs
Type
thesis
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