Taipei:Labor advocates have called for reforms to simplify the process of organizing unions in Taiwan, emphasizing the need for stronger collective bargaining to address the issue of low pay among young workers, which persists despite annual minimum wage increases.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Taiwan Labour and Social Policy Research Association's Executive Director, Chang Feng-yi, highlighted at a Taipei news conference that Taiwan's unionization rate remains below 10 percent due to structural barriers, such as the 30-person minimum required to form a union. Chang suggested a more pluralistic union system where unions with majority worker support could gain collective bargaining rights.

Yang Shu-wei, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Labour Front, proposed allowing external industrial and professional unions to recruit members within workplaces, a practice allowed in some countries but not in Taiwan. Yang noted that while starting salaries for young workers have risen, this is largely due to minimum wage hikes. He advocated for greater wage transparency and systematic wage increase mechanisms.

Taiwan's Ministry of Labor (MOL) data indicated that in 2025, 17.2 percent of first-time employees started at the minimum wage of NT$28,590, while the median salary was NT$36,000. Yang mentioned that unions could assist in negotiating pay raises, but pointed out that Taiwan faces a fundamental issue where younger workers are hesitant to join existing unions.

Lawmaker Lin Yueh-chin of the Democratic Progressive Party urged the MOL to raise the NT$40,000 monthly salary threshold, below which salary ranges must be disclosed in job postings, aligning it with minimum wage rises.

In response, the MOL stated that the Labor Union Act protects workers' rights to organize and join unions, even in companies with fewer than 30 employees. The ministry plans to review union rules after the Taiwan-U.S. Agreement on Reciprocal Trade is approved, considering stakeholder feedback and consulting with labor and employer groups. The agreement includes provisions to strengthen labor rights and union formation thresholds.

The MOL also announced it is considering amendments to increase the NT$40,000 salary threshold for mandatory pay disclosure in job postings, potentially setting it as a multiple of the minimum wage.