200+ Foreign Workers Laid-Off and asked to Evacuate Dormitory due to Power Cutoff

Based on reports gathered by Taiwan News, 200+ foreign workers left their dormitory located at the Tatung Group’s Chungwa Picture Tubes Ltd. in Taoyuan City as its power was cut off.

At the beginning of the week, the flat panel maker business released a statement that it would lay-off all of its current employees (2,100 employees) which will take effect after 60 days from its announcement.





The Central News Agency also reported that one major problem of the company was its difficulty paying its electricity bills which had caused a power cutoff in the building. The power cut off had made it challenging for people living in the dormitory.

As a result, on Friday, August 31, the Taoyuan City Government’s Department of Labor Affairs released an order to evacuate inhabitants in the dormitories where 200+ foreign workers were living. The company was also fined CPT NT$300,000 for the failure to take care of their employees.

The department said that the fine will be used to help the laid-off employees in finding new employment in Taiwan or help them return home. The fine will also be used to help the laid-off workers with their wage and severance salary problems.





According to CNA’s report, there is a possibility that the company may try to reopen its operations and re-hire some laid-off manpower after 60 days but some managers had stated their opinion on the high chance of the company not reopening.

The company is owned by the Tatung Group, a long-standing top brand producer of household goods like TVs and electronic cookers.