Taoyuan:Workers at the snack manufacturer Kuai Kuai Co.'s factory in Taiwan ended their five-day strike following an agreement on compensation for the company's future relocation.
According to Focus Taiwan, the union representing the workers and the company's management concluded negotiations on Tuesday, agreeing on a compensation package more generous than initially proposed. The deal was finalized after two days of talks, as announced in a joint statement by the Taoyuan Confederation of Trade Unions and the Kuai Kuai union.
The agreement stipulates that union members who resign within two years after being reassigned at the Zhongli factory in Taoyuan will receive statutory severance pay plus compensation equivalent to four months of full wages. If members resign by September 30, 2028, due to the company's relocation, they will receive statutory severance in addition to eight months of full wages. Moreover, workers with at least 12 years of service under Taiwan's new labor pension system will receive an extra NT$100,000 (US$3,148). Benefits from the agreement are exclusive to union members due to a "no-free-rider" clause.
The Taoyuan Confederation of Trade Unions credited the successful strike outcome to the union members' solidarity, which enabled their representatives to maintain a strong negotiating position.
The strike, which commenced on Friday, was initially planned as a one-day protest but was extended indefinitely by the workers. The dispute arose over concerns about employee treatment during the relocation of the Zhongli factory. The union was worried that employees might be forced out if unable to relocate, as Kuai Kuai had sold the factory site to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. for NT$5.67 billion and was leasing parts of it temporarily.
Additionally, the Kuai Kuai union acknowledged the support of the factory's migrant workers, who did not cross the picket line despite pressure from their labor broker. The factory employs around 160 Taiwanese workers, including 155 union members, and about 60 migrant workers, primarily from Vietnam and Indonesia. The union commits to monitoring the rights of these migrant workers.
Efforts to contact Kuai Kuai for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.