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The Neon Rush

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by Spencer Pangborn, Taiwan

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100,000 workers forced to take unpaid time off in Taiwan

Feb 9, 2009 13:12

Breaking news from Taiwan's Central News Agency: 76 percent of science park workers forced to take unpaid days off.

About 100,000 workers and operators at the Hsinchu Science Park (HSP)--Taiwan's "Silicon Valley"--are being sent on unpaid leave days each week as a result of the global economic recession, the HSP Administration said Monday.

It's only a short announcement, but says a lot about the current economic climate in Taiwan, and around the world for that matter. Taiwan's Silicon Valley, as it is often referred to, is just 1 hour outside of Taipei and home to many semiconductor manufacturers and foundaries. Here's a brief list of some of the larger players based out of the Hsin Chu Science Park:

TSMC (world's largest semiconductor foundry)

AU Optronics

Lite-On

Logitech

Philips

Realtek

I would venture to say that the 100,000 people required to take unpaid leave are fortunate they're still able to keep their jobs. But let's hope this is as drastic as it gets. As more companies choose to move their technological investments over to China, news like this is a huge blow to the future competitiveness of the Taiwanese tech industry.

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ferdiei

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ferdiei says...
to different people, this type of action may be seen negatively. but on the upside, these 100k people are the ones that will be badly needed by those same companies on the upturn or when the economy picks-up as a whole. remember, Taiwan is one of the first (maybe the only one now) who declared that nobody in their country will be laid-off. it could be too simplistic for some company or even country to ignore, but this takes a lot of political will from the taiwanese on dealing with the present crisis.

Feb 09, 2009 20:10

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About Spencer Pangborn

Spencer Pangborn first moved to Asia to become a popstar but failed, miserably. He is now a marketing specialist and freelance writer based in Taipei, Taiwan. Originally from the Great Lake State, he misses driving in the snow but doesn't miss shoveling the sidewalk. Spencer is co-founder of the Taipei Tech Club, where he socializes with friends to discuss the latest tech news and views around town. Twitter: @spangaroo