2021/06/17 |
On Minimum Wages, Singapore Is Playing Catch Up
Singapore’s government recently agreed to long overdue increases in the minimum wage for cleaners. By many standards, it is far from sufficient.
2021/01/05 |
Digital Regulation Could Have Saved Taiwan’s Botched eID
A lack of transparency and regulatory oversight over data use beset Taiwan’s plans to launch an electronic national identification. What would it take to get it right?
2021/05/20 |
Singapore’s Government Is Not ‘Pro-Worker.’ These Charts Show How.
Singapore is not pro-worker. If anything, it is pro-GIC and pro-Temasek Holdings, and it is pro-ministers – while workers are left to languish.
2021/12/21 |
Minimum Wage Increases Are Not Just About Low-Income Workers. Here’s Why.
The minimum wage in Taiwan matters to workers across all wage levels.
2021/01/21 |
Digital Transformation in Taiwan Requires Social and Political Transformation
Digital literacy training can mitigate many problems. But this can't be implemented without a thorough social and political transformation in Taiwan.
2022/01/18 |
Taiwan’s GDP per Capita May Surpass Japan’s and South Korea’s—But Don’t Start Celebrating Yet.
Though the GDP per capita in Taiwan may be on pace to grow, few gains will be felt by workers.
2021/07/01 |
The Economic Roots of Racism in Singapore
Ethnic minorities have become scapegoated by rising economic inequality in Singapore.
2021/11/25 |
NT$25,250 Is Still Not Enough for a Basic Standard of Living in Taiwan
President Tsai increased the minimum wage by a larger percentage in six years than her predecessors in their full eight-year terms, but this is not good enough.
2020/11/10 |
What’s Behind Taiwanese Support for Trump?
There’s not much that Taiwan can do about China’s threat. But the government can address the economic and social sources of insecurity.
2021/01/25 |
Singapore’s Government Says Workers Are Pulling Ahead. Here’s What They Won’t Say.
Last week, a Singapore government minister said that the wages of lower-income and median-income Singaporeans have increased in the last 10 years. But when we compare Singapore with other wealthy, advanced countries, the situation does not look so rosy.
2021/11/03 |
Do Civil Servants in Taiwan Earn Twice as Much as Private Sector Workers?
The mystery of how much Taiwan’s civil servants earn shows the government to be unserious about transparency and raising wages.
2022/02/17 |
Taiwan’s Minimum Wage Is Not Adequate for Its Cost of Living
Taiwan’s low minimum wage has contributed to half of workers earning less than what they need to have a basic standard of living.
2022/06/17 |
Taiwan’s Lost Growth (Part 2): How Stagnant Wages are Throttling the Economy
Taiwan has one of the lowest GDP growths since 1995 among emerging economies. This is not going to change if wages don’t grow.
2021/11/30 |
A Higher Minimum Wage Won’t Lead To Higher Unemployment in Taiwan
Despite what you may hear from business interest lobbyists, the historical data shows no clear correlation between a growing minimum wage and a higher unemployment rate.
2022/02/09 |
Taiwan’s Minimum Wage is One of the Lowest In Its League
Taiwan is a wealthy country. Its recently instituted minimum wage hike does not compare favorably with its international counterparts.
2022/05/12 |
Taiwan’s Lost Growth (Part 1): How Far Has Taiwan’s Economy Fallen Behind Other Countries Due To Stagnant Wages?
When wages don’t grow, household expenditures and ultimately business profits stagnate as well. Here’s how this has played out in Taiwan.
2021/12/07 |
Taiwan’s Businesses Can Afford to Contribute More to Social Security
Taiwan’s employers not only pay low wages to workers but also contribute little to the country’s social security. It is one of the lowest among high-income countries as a proportion of the economy.
2022/01/13 |
Taiwan’s Businesses Are Increasing Prices To Earn Higher Profits
Average consumers will take a hit, while businesses will continue to earn high profits from the recent price increases.