TAIWAN: TRADE FEDERATION, HSBC UNION PLANNING PROTEST- LAYOFFS? : Trade unionists and union members say the bank has disguised its layoffs of 500 people as transfers, hoping to prod the relevant staff members into quitting

Companies have developed several different ways of disguising mass layoffs, such as demotions, transfers or forcing employees to sign long-term contracts, and the National Federation of Independent Trade Unions and the HSBC Union plan to take to the streets to protest what they said was such a move by HSBC. The protest is planned for tomorrow, but whether it will take place depends on ongoing negotiations between the company and its union. “We have talked with the company and reached some consensus on the issue,” said Lonely Chiu (???), president of the bank’s union. “However, because they have yet to issue a memo in writing [on the agreement], we still have to wait and see,” he said. continue reading