Source: Taiwan China Times
China Times Society
Taiwan Labor Minister Xu Mingchun said in response to legislators in the Legislative Yuan that personal support for the "basic salary" next year was increased to 28,000 yuan per month. Although she said that she must be discussed by the "Basic Wage Review Committee", but added it, but added"We will also work hard" shows that the Ministry of Labor will try its best to promote such adjustments.Here, we should persuade the government to ignore economic conditions and long -term political power to distort the economy, which will become a seedlings to promote it. It will not only help the majority of workers, but also seriously hurt the development of Taiwan's economy.
The hidden concerns of raising the basic salary
Anyone who has basic economic knowledge knows that artificially restricting wages must be maintained above the level of "equilibrium wages" higher than the market, which will attract the increase in labor supply, but reduce the demand for manufacturers and cause increasing unemployment.Although a small number of experts have different views recently, this is still the mainstream view of the economics community, which has also been confirmed by some overall studies.The latest case is neighboring South Korea.Under the pressure of the minimum wages in South Korea, under the pressure of strong labor and votes, the Wen Zaiyin government has increased significantly by 16.4%and 10.9%in 2018 and 2019. As a result, the economic growth of 2019 and 2020 has achieved significant negative effects. GDPFrom the original leading Taiwan to only 2.2%and -1%.
Taiwan has raised its basic wages for 7 consecutive years, but so far, it seems that there is no obvious negative effect on the economy -the growth rate in 2021 is as high as 6.53%, and the export decline in the second half of 2022, but the growth rate is also 2.43%.These performances made the Cai government ate reliable pills, thinking that it would be used to continue to use this trick. It can also make the leader Cai Yingwen's commitment (basic monthly salary 30,000 yuan) dreams come true, or at least very close.
As everyone knows, the Cai government has been in power for 7 years, and the monthly salary of basic wages has been raised from 20008 yuan in 2015 to 26,400 yuan in 2022. It has increased by 31.9%in 7 years (the hourly salary has increased by 46.7%);From NT $ 17.02 to 21.67 trillion yuan, it also increased by 27.3%. The increase in basic wages was only 4.6%higher than the economic growth, which was not large. The economy was roughly tolerated.However, if you only look at the service industry, the situation is different. During the period of the service industry, the output value growth rate is low, which is only about 25%, and the hourly salary has risen by 46.7%.It is difficult to sustain, and even withdrawn from the market with high wages.
This year's economic growth rate will be a "insurance 2" hard battle under the decline of exports; coupled with health insurance and electricity bills, they will have risen, and corporate operations are very hard.Everyone is happy to see that the income of labor friends increases, but if the basic salary increases excessively and exceeds that the productivity increases, the negative effects of the economy will emerge, especially the catering, travel and retail stores that have been severely hit by the epidemic.Opportunity "marginal workers" will benefit.The expectations of the Minister of Labor Xu Mingchun's expectations of 6%, exceeding the expected economic growth this year, the opportunity to produce negative results is great.
Let the company improve the overall salary
Of course, whether it is government officials or legislators representing public opinion, the salary of workers will increase.However, the basic salary is not a general labor salary. It is designed to protect the low -productive forces and low salary workers, ensure that they have the at least the level of living standards.It will affect each other.The government should increase the income of general labor. The appropriate approach is to increase labor productivity and allow enterprises to pay higher salary for workers; there are many ways to improve productivity, try to improve labor quality, increase per capita consumption, increase social consumption power, increase overseas abroadPassengers, etc., even try to attract foreign investment to increase the needs of labor to motivate salary, but it is definitely not the basic salary of the disadvantages.
However, considering that the inflation has been high since the second half of last year, and the life of labor is also affected. Perhaps under the coordination of labor and capital, the basic salary adjustment that can be accepted and close to last year to avoid the worsening of marginal workers. This is probably 3 in 3%, But 6%from the 6%distance supported by Minister Xu.Perhaps the difference between the basic salary is also the two systems: "Metropolitan Area" (ie, Liudu) and "Non -Metropolitan Area" (other than six capitals), which makes the basic wages of the metropolitan area different from the non -metropolitan area.The metropolitan area is slightly improved, so that marginal workers are more capable of cope with the needs of life -some countries, including mainland China, have this approach, which can take into account the basic salary and the tolerance of the enterprise.The gentleman loves wealth; in the same way, taking care of workers must also love.
