Latest

2022/06/17 | Roy Ngerng

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.

2022/02/11 | Roy Ngerng

Lithuania’s Minimum Wage Is More Adequate for Its Cost of Living Than Taiwan’s

Though lower in nominal terms, Lithuania’s minimum wage is more adequate for its cost of living than Taiwan’s, and catching up fast.

2022/02/09 | Roy Ngerng

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.

2021/12/07 | Roy Ngerng

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.

2021/11/30 | Roy Ngerng

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.

2021/11/25 | Roy Ngerng

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.

2021/11/18 | Roy Ngerng

Taiwan’s Minimum Wage Is Not Catching Up With Consumer Prices

Taiwan’s workers need to be aware that it is not the increases in wages that are causing prices to rise. Businesses are increasing prices whether wages increase.

2021/09/02 | Roy Ngerng

Raise the Minimum Wage Now to Fix Taiwan’s Lopsided Economy

Taiwan has lost 20 to 30 years to transition to a higher-value innovation-led economy. If it wants to be strong, it is time to increase wages significantly.

2021/05/05 | Roy Ngerng

Taiwan’s Economy Is Growing Fast. Workers Still Await Their Share.

While Taiwan’s GDP per capita is escalating, wages have remained stagnant. It doesn’t have to be this way.

2021/01/25 | Roy Ngerng

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.

2020/09/09 | Roy Ngerng

Taiwan’s Rigged Economy Dampens Innovation

Taiwan’s workers have taken the lowest share of GDP among comparable countries for the past two decades.

2020/08/28 | Roy Ngerng

The Pay in Taiwan Is Too Damn Low

Taiwan’s minimum wage is not just lower than the international standard. Its rate of growth has lagged.

2020/08/11 | Roy Ngerng

How Many Workers Can the Salaries of Singapore’s Ministers Pay For?

While Singapore's prime minister shamelessly lays claim to a salary 167 times the basic wage of an outsourced resident cleaner, the government refuses to enforce a minimum wage.

2018/10/24 | New Bloom

INTERVIEW: Taiwan Labor Film Festival Screens Stories of Struggle and Solidarity

A chat with Catta Chou, curator of the 2018 Taiwan International Labor Film Festival – which is now underway in Taipei.