(With Sacrificial Sunflower Fools & Why Unions Must
Sprout from Taiwanese Soil)
http://taiwwan.blogspot.tw/2015/03/my-opinion-bupkis-forum-doesnt-mention.htm (21) http://taiwwan.blogspot.tw/2015/02/my-opinion-sunflower-fools-and-know-it.html (67) http://taiwwan.blogspot.tw/2015/03/my-opinion-why-unions-must-sprout-from.html (20)
In March 2015 academics
gathered to discuss its impact on Taiwanese politics, society and culture. Participants
included sociology and history researchers who placed the Sunflower movement in
a larger geopolitical setting and a longer time frame, saying it was the
culmination of past movements and called for a rethinking of Taiwan’s
nationhood, its relationship to China, and its reaction to and suspicion of the
so-called China factor.
Without mentioning how
forming independent labor unions in Taiwan has always been illegal, the
one-sided forum on the eve of the one year anniversary of the so-called
"Sunflower Movement" protests ignores the five hundred pound gorilla
that has been sitting in the room in Taiwan since 1947's protected massacre of
Taiwan intellectuals: The United States government.
The forum participants one-sidedly blame every red herring as cause of last year's social unrest, except the United States capitalist New World Order and DPP's power sharing scheme. It blames "classic imperialism of the Japanese colonial period, through the US’ informal empire during the Cold War and the neo-liberal US hegemony in the post-Cold War period" like the cold war was a period and not a general policy. The U.S. has had a cold war against workers since 1886 when dozens of workers were gunned down by police at Haymarket Square in Chicago for demonstrating against police brutality and for the forty-hour work week. The U.S. government was anti-worker then and is anti-worker now.
Show me once when the U.S. spoke out for workers' rights as Western carpetbagger carved up Taiwan and the sweatshop movement crossed Central America into Asia. What is this crap about "the latest new imperialism of a rising China” when Taiwan keeps the dirty water never trying to find a clean spring?
The forum participants one-sidedly blame every red herring as cause of last year's social unrest, except the United States capitalist New World Order and DPP's power sharing scheme. It blames "classic imperialism of the Japanese colonial period, through the US’ informal empire during the Cold War and the neo-liberal US hegemony in the post-Cold War period" like the cold war was a period and not a general policy. The U.S. has had a cold war against workers since 1886 when dozens of workers were gunned down by police at Haymarket Square in Chicago for demonstrating against police brutality and for the forty-hour work week. The U.S. government was anti-worker then and is anti-worker now.
Show me once when the U.S. spoke out for workers' rights as Western carpetbagger carved up Taiwan and the sweatshop movement crossed Central America into Asia. What is this crap about "the latest new imperialism of a rising China” when Taiwan keeps the dirty water never trying to find a clean spring?
The naive followers
dubbed the "Sunflower Movement," their egocentric leaders, and
predatory DPP instigators and talking heads better take note: Taiwan workers
would have better lives and higher standards of living without their rhetoric
if they could see clear to organizing themselves.
It is a major
injustice that, given the opportunity of neo-liberal two party system from a
one-party dictatorship, the DPP has chosen to be a part of the ruling class
instead of going for higher ground: There is no criticism of the U.S.
government for outsourcing a work force from Taiwan without outsourcing union
representative demands. Instead the DPP chooses to keep Taiwan workers
in purgatory to keep China and its KMT promoters out dismissing the major
downward influence in Taiwan: the privatization of social services
and franchised low no-future wages for its youthful workers, Sixteen years of
no growth for workers' salaries, not all of them under the KMT (some under a
DPP president) cannot be blamed on China, either.
This bupkis academic
panel of experts only helps the DPP become the new bosses of the Taiwanese
worker adrift without union representation.
When will the DPP start talking about instituting a living wage in Taiwan?
When will the DPP start talking about enforcing a forty-hour workweek with paid overtime, time and a half, and double time for work done on holidays?
When will the DPP raise the roof about the enslavement of workers who wait all year long under oppressive conditions for their kind boss to give them bonuses?
When will they make a stink about oppressive child labor, overseas bridal abuse, and the sex trade? When will they stop "importing" (to use Mayor Ko's accurate but lambasted terminology) slave labor at the lowest possible wage?
When will the DPP cry one crocodile tear for the tips from customers workers are forbidden to take, tips that go directly into the bosses pockets, anyway?
This forum is blind or corrupt. The problem for workers in Taiwan will not materialize when Chinese business comes; it has been here for sixty-seven years with U.S.A. "Free China" rhetoric.
When will the DPP start talking about instituting a living wage in Taiwan?
When will the DPP start talking about enforcing a forty-hour workweek with paid overtime, time and a half, and double time for work done on holidays?
When will the DPP raise the roof about the enslavement of workers who wait all year long under oppressive conditions for their kind boss to give them bonuses?
When will they make a stink about oppressive child labor, overseas bridal abuse, and the sex trade? When will they stop "importing" (to use Mayor Ko's accurate but lambasted terminology) slave labor at the lowest possible wage?
When will the DPP cry one crocodile tear for the tips from customers workers are forbidden to take, tips that go directly into the bosses pockets, anyway?
This forum is blind or corrupt. The problem for workers in Taiwan will not materialize when Chinese business comes; it has been here for sixty-seven years with U.S.A. "Free China" rhetoric.
When workers can
freely organize themselves in Taiwan, when the Sunflower youth can get jobs and
protest against their bosses instead of hitting their heads against government
walls, workers of Taiwan will surely realize that their best friend is not the
DPP, KMT, China, or the U.S.A.
Their best friend is their fellow worker in a union of collective decision making and collective bargaining. A Union is the best friend workers can have, There is singly no one government or political party that can raise our standard living but a union of brave, strong-willed, like-minded union of workers.
Their best friend is their fellow worker in a union of collective decision making and collective bargaining. A Union is the best friend workers can have, There is singly no one government or political party that can raise our standard living but a union of brave, strong-willed, like-minded union of workers.
Sacrificial
Sunflower Fools
A writing project I promote
is taIWWan blog. I mentioned it in response to Taiwan News in
English, a blog by fellow Taichung ex-pat, Courtney Donovan Smith posting about
the Sunflower fools who were indicted yesterday. I don’t bother commenting on
meaningless bourgeois political news; only Taiwan labor news that affects workers
here.
The unfortunate protesters that shot their youthful loads are in deep trouble now for their naivety. Their fervor was misplaced. It should have been for good jobs in Taiwan and a living wage. However, the government will not help "Sunflower" protester-workers; a living wage cannot be gotten from protests to the top-down; those who aren't interested in organizing themselves into labor unions are wasting their breath.
The 119 indicted in the so-called "Sunflower Movement" protests, wasted their futures in meaningless protests that got nowhere and helped no one except the police who could fine-tune their reactions to the next useless student demonstration. I shouldn't say “meaningless” protests. The protesters, encouraged and advised by certain clandestine agent provocateurs in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), were the icing on the cake of Kuomintang defeat in the November 2014 elections. They did for the DPP youth vote what appointing washed up death metal egotist Freddy Lim “Youth Outreach Coordinator” couldn't for Frank Shieh in the 2008 presidential election defeat to Ma Ying-Jeou.
The unfortunate protesters that shot their youthful loads are in deep trouble now for their naivety. Their fervor was misplaced. It should have been for good jobs in Taiwan and a living wage. However, the government will not help "Sunflower" protester-workers; a living wage cannot be gotten from protests to the top-down; those who aren't interested in organizing themselves into labor unions are wasting their breath.
The 119 indicted in the so-called "Sunflower Movement" protests, wasted their futures in meaningless protests that got nowhere and helped no one except the police who could fine-tune their reactions to the next useless student demonstration. I shouldn't say “meaningless” protests. The protesters, encouraged and advised by certain clandestine agent provocateurs in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), were the icing on the cake of Kuomintang defeat in the November 2014 elections. They did for the DPP youth vote what appointing washed up death metal egotist Freddy Lim “Youth Outreach Coordinator” couldn't for Frank Shieh in the 2008 presidential election defeat to Ma Ying-Jeou.
The DPP has learned to use the youth as
sacrificial lambs for their own pro-American neo-liberal agenda. They will use
it again in 2016 to defeat the KMT in the presidential election, but not
because of a lack of KMT freedom to protest; it's the economy. Being
"Anti-Chinese Mainland" is now an American-inspired DPP ruse, a
flip-flop from the old days when the KMT claimed the "Three Principles of
the People" would overthrow Communist China.
There is no “lesser of
two evils” in a choice between Chinese and American power in Taiwan. The
working people must have the power, and there is only one way to get it: clandestinely through direct action in the workplace.
After seventy-eight
years of the United States de-facto colonization of Taiwan, a “Free China” is
still free only for big business interests. There is the same lack of democracy
here, though more transparently anti-union, than there would be in a Chinese
power take-over.
"Reunification"
is not the answer, either, in the short-run.
Until
the youth of Taiwan get off their skinny asses and start educating, agitating,
and organizing themselves into workers' unions, wages in Taiwan will continue
to tumble down to Mainland Chinese levels until working here or there is
interchangeable in wages, already at the level it was in Taiwan sixteen years
ago. A Chinese worker’s salary in some cities has already caught up to the
Taiwan worker’s salary.
For a family in Taiwan
or China to survive, fighting for independent union rights is the only way
out.
Why Unions Must
Sprout from Taiwanese Soil
It is clear that
Taiwan needs more indigenous proponents of labor unions; it
won't come from the anti-union West, and it can't come from China.
Taiwanese workers need a homegrown movement fighting for their rights.
I am a foreign EFL teacher, tolerated in Taiwan, sometimes even looked up to, for the wrong reasons. As an educator, proven methods of language acquisition are frowned upon here unless I can teach to the test; teach how to join the ruling class and make more money exploiting others. Almost no one in Taiwan will listen to a foreigner telling them that their education is killing them. For centuries, foreigners have been what is killing Taiwan culture; why should I be trusted now?
I am an old foreigner to the young "Sunflowers." They know that they are being screwed economically and have come to blame China because the KMT is kissing up to China and the DPP isn't. However, it is western capitalist business people who have been exploiting Taiwan for sixty-seven years, not China, but the underpaid youth blame China, not the West. Strange. Great American propaganda, right?
The Japanese put fear into Taiwan's heart years ago, but at least they were inclusive, within a glass ceiling. Taiwanese was spoken and used in schools and business. The Chinese ruling class came in '47 and took over without giving anything in return; only Mandarin language and Chinese patriotism. They slaughtered Taiwanese intellectuals and took over the land and schools after the 228 massacre.
Today, the Democratic Progress Party (DPP) blames China and the KMT for the economic regression; look at the rhetoric of the "Sunflower Movement." Sixteen years of no salary increase, not because of China; because of America, yo. They should be blaming America and the Western capitalists who have carved up Taiwan with Starbucks and McDonald franchises, and low salaries.
China is a peoples' republic with worker sensibilities in their constitution, more than in Taiwan. The Three Principles of the People of socialist Father Sun Yat-Sen has been trampled upon in Taiwan. Socialism is good. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) merely wants to keep its wealth and power in Taiwan in the event of a Chinese takeover, so they quote it. It sounds good. With the DPP in the American camp, China has no choice but to court the KMT; at least the KMT is still in control of the island if worst comes to worst. The United States, with forked tongue, supports the DPP despite the rhetoric that they agree with China that Taiwan is a part of it. It is so sad. The Three Principles are good. The United States government couldn't care less.
A workers' party in Taiwan that China should love would be the answer; a party that would not protect American interests in Taiwan, a party that would be more involved in protecting the interests of the Taiwanese people. If China could agree with the DPP about the corruption of the KMT without tumbling into the American camp, cast the KMT out, China could easily win the hearts and minds of the Taiwanese people, but no; they support the KMT. The DPP doesn't care anymore about workers' rights. They are into power-sharing; a neo-liberal fake democracy, just like in the U.S.A.
How ironic it is that to defend workers' right and unions in Taiwan today is misunderstood as being pan-blue; a supporter of the KMT. That is what I was called on a blog here. How strange that the White Terror of KMT martial law is counter-productive for workers to fight for their rights today; workers are afraid to speak out. The Taiwanese worker has no place to go.
Taiwanese workers have the will and they must find a way to raise their salary to a living wage. Forget China. Forget America. They can do it through an industrial union at each of their workplaces, no matter how big or small. The Industrial Workers of the World has a plan, but it takes guts, a whole lot of guts. The IWW is a union for all the workers, a grassroots union that fights underground, the only means where, above ground, independent unions are illegal. We workers must fight for our rights; no one will give it to us. The Taiwanese must look into their empty pockets and stop blaming others for their misfortune.
I am a foreign EFL teacher, tolerated in Taiwan, sometimes even looked up to, for the wrong reasons. As an educator, proven methods of language acquisition are frowned upon here unless I can teach to the test; teach how to join the ruling class and make more money exploiting others. Almost no one in Taiwan will listen to a foreigner telling them that their education is killing them. For centuries, foreigners have been what is killing Taiwan culture; why should I be trusted now?
I am an old foreigner to the young "Sunflowers." They know that they are being screwed economically and have come to blame China because the KMT is kissing up to China and the DPP isn't. However, it is western capitalist business people who have been exploiting Taiwan for sixty-seven years, not China, but the underpaid youth blame China, not the West. Strange. Great American propaganda, right?
The Japanese put fear into Taiwan's heart years ago, but at least they were inclusive, within a glass ceiling. Taiwanese was spoken and used in schools and business. The Chinese ruling class came in '47 and took over without giving anything in return; only Mandarin language and Chinese patriotism. They slaughtered Taiwanese intellectuals and took over the land and schools after the 228 massacre.
Today, the Democratic Progress Party (DPP) blames China and the KMT for the economic regression; look at the rhetoric of the "Sunflower Movement." Sixteen years of no salary increase, not because of China; because of America, yo. They should be blaming America and the Western capitalists who have carved up Taiwan with Starbucks and McDonald franchises, and low salaries.
China is a peoples' republic with worker sensibilities in their constitution, more than in Taiwan. The Three Principles of the People of socialist Father Sun Yat-Sen has been trampled upon in Taiwan. Socialism is good. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) merely wants to keep its wealth and power in Taiwan in the event of a Chinese takeover, so they quote it. It sounds good. With the DPP in the American camp, China has no choice but to court the KMT; at least the KMT is still in control of the island if worst comes to worst. The United States, with forked tongue, supports the DPP despite the rhetoric that they agree with China that Taiwan is a part of it. It is so sad. The Three Principles are good. The United States government couldn't care less.
A workers' party in Taiwan that China should love would be the answer; a party that would not protect American interests in Taiwan, a party that would be more involved in protecting the interests of the Taiwanese people. If China could agree with the DPP about the corruption of the KMT without tumbling into the American camp, cast the KMT out, China could easily win the hearts and minds of the Taiwanese people, but no; they support the KMT. The DPP doesn't care anymore about workers' rights. They are into power-sharing; a neo-liberal fake democracy, just like in the U.S.A.
How ironic it is that to defend workers' right and unions in Taiwan today is misunderstood as being pan-blue; a supporter of the KMT. That is what I was called on a blog here. How strange that the White Terror of KMT martial law is counter-productive for workers to fight for their rights today; workers are afraid to speak out. The Taiwanese worker has no place to go.
Taiwanese workers have the will and they must find a way to raise their salary to a living wage. Forget China. Forget America. They can do it through an industrial union at each of their workplaces, no matter how big or small. The Industrial Workers of the World has a plan, but it takes guts, a whole lot of guts. The IWW is a union for all the workers, a grassroots union that fights underground, the only means where, above ground, independent unions are illegal. We workers must fight for our rights; no one will give it to us. The Taiwanese must look into their empty pockets and stop blaming others for their misfortune.
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