The role of trade unions in just transition: A case study on the development of electric motorbikes in Taiwan

This research is focusing on the practice of just transition in the development of electric motorbike in Taiwan. 

Firstly, I review the possible impact on the motorbike technicians in the motorbike shops and the workers in manufacturing sector in the national transition goal which stipulates the 70% electric motorbike in market share in 2035 and 100% in 2040. Secondly, I look at the possible role of trade unions in vocational training/retraining, the collective bargaining, and the tripartite relations in the agenda setting of net-zero transition. 

Not surprisingly, the role of trade unions will largely be conditioned by the institutional legacy left by the authoritarian rule. However, thanks to the democratisation, some reforms within the labour movement since 2010s have brought up some positive development which might contribute to a more active role of trade unions in just transition. 

Speaker 

Chiu Yubin is an associate professor and the chair of the department of social development at the national Pingtung University, Taiwan. Chiu specializes in political sociology, industrial sociology, labor and employment studies, and the development of the third sector. He has been involving in various social movements, such human rights, labour unions and democratic transition. He served as chairperson of Taiwan Human Rights Association between 2014 and 2017, and the founding member of Taiwan Higher Education Union.