On Labor Day, May 1, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-cheh honored workers by showcasing policy achievements while addressing the challenges posed by U.S. tariff policies. He emphasized transforming past efforts into energy for future challenges, announcing the activation of reserve funds and instructing the Labor Department to adopt three main strategies: proactive care, job stability, and the protection of labor rights, working alongside workers to face these challenges.

Labor Department Director Wang Hsin-chi highlighted that last year, 33 unions and enterprises were guided to sign collective agreements, with a coverage rate exceeding 60%. They conducted more than 2,500 compliance promotions and over 50 labor law advocacy sessions, maintaining positive interactions with workers and enterprises. Since the U.S. tariff policy announcement until the end of April, 17 labor education sessions have been held, involving 1,462 participants.

Regarding job stability, Tainan’s labor participation rate was 61.2%, higher than the national average of 59.28%. Last year, seven large-scale job fairs and 203 small recruitment events provided 71,642 job opportunities. This year, a large job fair is scheduled for May 24, and the public sector's summer internship recruitment will start on June 7.

In terms of protecting labor rights, Wang mentioned having established effective measures during the pandemic, such as the “Employment Stability Measure” (providing wage subsidies for reduced work hours for a maximum of 12 months) and the “Recharge and Restart Program” (encouraging training during reduced hours with training allowances). If workers are unfortunately laid off, they will receive unemployment benefits and subsidies for vocational training. The city also offers dispute mediation, legal assistance, and wage advance measures to effectively protect labor rights against tariff impacts.