The National Federation of Teachers Unions (NFTU) has pulled out of a government committee on pension reform. The NFTU said Wednesday that the committee has allowed the spread of misinformation, insulted NFTU representatives, and created friction in society.
Fixing Taiwan’s deficit-ridden pension system is one of Tsai administration’s priorities. However public sector employees, including teachers, military personnel, and civil servants say they have been unfairly blamed for the pension system’s financial problems. The NFTU’s decision to pull out of the pension reform committee comes four days after public sector employees rallied in Taipei against what they called “defamation”.
Minister without Portfolio Lin Wan-i, the committee’s director, said Wednesday that he found the NFTU’s decision regrettable. Lin said that the committee must work to correct the problems the NFTU has brought up, but said he hopes the NFTU will stay.
The NFTU is one of three groups representing educators in the pension reform committee. Lin said that so far, the remaining two educators’ groups have not indicated they will leave the committee. But he said that the committee must ensure that delegates are treated with dignity in the future.