The labor ministry is set to hold a meeting Wednesday to discuss the minimum wage hike for next year.
As the government just raised the minimum wage to NT$20,008 (US$648) last month, employers are generally against another pay raise in light of an economic slowdown.
A representative with the association of small and medium-sized businesses said on Monday that the minimum wage for Taiwanese employees and migrant workers should be dealt with separately. He said that’s because a pay raise will benefit foreign laborers only as most Taiwanese people are not minimum wage workers.
However, employees called for a consensus on a 3% pay hike on the grounds of the need to boost domestic demand, which is about US$20. They argued that the pay raise will help Taiwan’s young people and low-skilled workers.