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You know why I talk about Taiwan's problems? I'm affected by it on a daily basis. I came to Taiwan because I believe in its potential, and I still believe in it, but in my work and research, I have keen insight as to why in spite of all this talk about transformation, ... https://twitter.com/royngerng/status/1349239643275841536
... Taiwan still have difficulty transforming. Unlike other foreigners, I work as a researcher where I don't earn above NT$47,000. The pay of researchers start at NT$31,000, which is what I started with when I first came - around the wage of what other service sector staff earn..
... Thing is, when you pay poor wages, you get poor research, you get poor service. And this is why workers become demoralized and unmotivated - I know because I work among them. It is not because Taiwanese are not smart. They rank highly in @OECDEduSkills PISA rankings, ...
... but they aren't being paid what they deserve. In our research, we also hear about researchers who need guanxi 關係 in order to receive funding, or people who don't because they offended someone high up. The hierarchy in Taiwan means you respect someone older ...
... not because he is smarter but because he's been there longer. So Taiwan continues silly practices of inviting older professors to give speeches even though it is an open secret that many of them do not create their own PPT presentations, do not know what they are talking ...
... about, or have outdated knowledge. Most of their research is done by researchers below them, and then they tag their names onto it. At the previous center I worked at, I raised it to my director, who kept quiet because she benefitted from the help of the professor/doctor ...
... I complained about. After he realized I was an activist in Singapore, he included my name in all his publications, probably out of fear. If he did not, my name would most probably be left out. But even now, my bosses know I'm an activist, but I'm still oppressed ...
... by the system. It's different speaking up against the government outside of work, but at work, we have no unions. If you speak up, you face the fear of losing your job. This is what I've been feeling for the past few months. This is why I lament Taiwan's lack of ...
... labor unionization protection. Workers do not dare to complain, and are kept in their place, while bosses, many times older, abuse their power and behave unethically. Low wages and hierarchy promotes and entrenched unethical behavior. And this is not something that ...
... exists only in academia but in other industries in Taiwan as well. I'm pretty sure @DPPonline politicians like @iingwen and @eballgogogo know this, but why hasn't unions been strengthened? Why do we continue to lavishly support big businesses over workers? ...
... At this juncture, the question facing Taiwan is this - does it want to transform into a different society, or does it want to rely on big business and hierarchy to drive things? If so, youths will be burned out, lose hope and interest, and Taiwan will start sinking ...
... as capable Taiwanese youths leave, while capable Taiwanese youths who remain do only what they are paid for, because doing more doesn't pay. They are also ignored by their bosses anyway. If we want change, then we have to empower youths and workers, this is the only way ...
... This is why I am immensely frustrated that Taiwan's government has not introduced laws to strengthen unions. It is the one single thing that can threaten businesses, which I suppose threaten how much donations they will give to the political parties ...
... So, the question is, political donations or Taiwan's future. What do we want? This is why I say, while Taiwan is a democracy, it is in many ways similar to authoritarian Singapore, because workers are disempowered, and the system still favors protection of businesses, ...
... and profits, while workers are kept subservient. Taiwan has a democracy, but it's businesses are still authoritarian and there is no political will to change this, because money. And thus when @audreyt says that Taiwan needs 20 years for the system to transform, yes, ...
... I get it, because we need time for the legacy authoritarian structures to be torn down and for older resistant bosses to move out. But can be guarantee that the people who take over will be different when the system itself does not change? What kind of long term thinking ...
... and strategies are we putting in place in Taiwan, so that we can cultivate real transformation and make Taiwan's democracy truly meaningful? I haven't seen long term structures we are putting in place. Some people might not like that I critique Taiwan, especially ...
... because I am a foreigner. But I do so because I like Taiwan, I believe and I know its potential, and Taiwan can be better. Also, what I say is not new because Taiwanese tell me these. But why isn't the government doing anything about it? Why not strengthen labor unions? ...
... Why not penalize unethical professors and behavior? Why not implement higher wages of at least NT$30,000. These are not rocket science. These are what need to be done to allow Taiwan's democracy to flourish. Government reforms announced by @eballgogogo is good ...
... Digital initiatives to empower ground-up participation by @audreyt is good. But Taiwan needs a vision of democracy, of supporting workers and youths, and penalizing unethical behavior promoted by its authoritarian legacy and hierarchy. Taiwan needs to transform urgently.
