'Guai Guai' Union Launches Indefinite Strike Demanding Compensation for Factory Relocation

The 'Guai Guai' (Taiwanese snack brand) Zhongli factory union launched an indefinite strike starting early morning on October 2nd, protesting the parent company San Di Group's sale of the factory land. Initially planned as a one-day warning strike, the union decided to extend the strike after negotiations with the management failed, following a vote by the union members. The union criticized the management for prioritizing profits, repeatedly breaking promises, and being inconsistent regarding factory relocation and closure plans, with negotiations lacking any written records. The Zhongli factory, which has been operating for over 57 years, suddenly learned of the land sale through media reports in July. Employees faced the dilemma of forced transfers or resignations without any compensation. The union's labor dispute mediation requests with the Taoyuan City Government were unsuccessful twice, leading to a strike vote on September 18th, where 94% of members voted in favor of striking. During the strike, the union accused the management of using intermediaries to bring in migrant workers to pressure the picket lines, attempting to weaken the strike's impact. They also questioned the management's claim of 'no layoffs within two years,' suggesting it's a tactic to avoid severance pay, as employees who resign due to changes in the work environment might not receive it. In response, the management of 'Guai Guai' expressed regret but stated they respect the strike. The company made four commitments: guaranteeing no layoffs for two years before the factory relocation, offering an additional two months' salary on top of statutory severance pay if layoffs occur after two years, a year-end bonus of at least 0.5 months' salary in 2027, and a 5% wage increase for all employees effective September 1st. However, the union...