Medical staff at one hospital in southern Taiwan's Chiayi City held a protest after stalled negotiations for a raise.
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00:00A lunchtime walkout.
00:05Over 100 medical personnel at this hospital in Chiayi City in southern Taiwan are demanding
00:11higher pay and a plan to hire more staff.
00:14The hospital union says that stagnant wages have caused an alarming number of staff to
00:19quit, and warned this could seriously affect medical care.
00:23There are more than 30 nurses in the operating room who have left their jobs.
00:28If the villagers want to come to the operating room, they will have to wait in line.
00:33Even doctors don't have nurses to take care of them.
00:37The protest comes after 10 rounds of negotiations over the last six months failed to meet the
00:42union's demand of a 6% salary increase, instead only resulting in a 1 to 2% raise.
00:49Other hospitals have a higher salary than this one.
00:52We think we should have a 6% raise.
00:55They said they've seen the hospital invest in renovating its facilities, but not in its
01:00workers.
01:01But the hospital says that its pay and benefits are higher than the industry average, and
01:05that they have brought on new staff to replace those who have left.
01:09I discussed this with the union.
01:11I want to let everyone know that the hospital takes good care of its staff.
01:16Our pay and benefits are also higher.
01:21Taiwan's medical sector has been facing growing dissatisfaction among workers, who
01:26point to issues like low salaries and long working hours.
01:30Now these workers in Jiayu want to make it clear that retaining skilled talent comes
01:34at a price.
01:36Howard Zhang and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.