Labor Groups Accuse Ministry of Labor of Abruptly Canceling RCA Special Health Checks; Ministry Responds It Will Continue to Conduct Them
Labor groups, including the Occupational Disaster Workers' Association and the RCA Concern Association, protested against the Ministry of Labor's sudden cancellation of special health checks for RCA workers. The Ministry of Labor responded that it is responsible for the health care of RCA occupational disaster workers and will continue to conduct the special health checks, ensuring that the examination items are consistent with past checks. The RCA case is Taiwan's largest, most victim-heavy, and longest-running occupational disaster pollution incident.
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- 📰 Published: April 17, 2026 at 15:55
- 🔍 Collected: April 17, 2026 at 16:31 (36 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 17, 2026 at 18:05 (1h 33m after Collected)
TAIPEI (Central News Agency) – The Occupational Disaster Workers' Association and the RCA Concern Association today protested in front of the Ministry of Labor, accusing the Ministry of Labor of abruptly canceling the RCA special health checks and breaking its promise. The Ministry of Labor responded that it would continue to conduct the special health checks and ensure that the examination items are consistent with past checks.
Taiwan RCA Corporation (RCA) established a factory in Taoyuan in 1970 to produce home appliances and closed down in 1992. Later, it was discovered that the long-term use of organic solvents such as trichloroethylene had severely polluted the land and groundwater, leading to many employees contracting cancer. The "RCA Employees Concern Association," formed by former RCA employees and the families of deceased workers, filed a class-action lawsuit against RCA on behalf of over 1,700 former employees and their families. The lawsuit is still ongoing, making it Taiwan's largest, most victim-heavy, and longest-running occupational disaster pollution incident.
The Occupational Disaster Workers' Association and the RCA Concern Association held a press conference in front of the Ministry of Labor today, stating that they had continuously pressured the government to actively track the health status of affected employees and establish an occupational disease database. This led to the official promise to provide RCA employees with a special health check project every three years.
However, the association stated that although seven special health checks have been conducted, the Ministry of Labor often acted only when pushed. It was not until 2015, when RCA workers won the first trial, that the Concern Association and the Ministry of Labor negotiated to add health check items based on the court's judgment, and the special health checks became stable. However, last year's special health check disappeared without a trace. Upon proactively calling the responsible Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, they were shocked to learn that the institute had not allocated a budget for the special health checks in 2024.
The association criticized that RCA workers' painful experiences contributed to the current formulation of the Occupational Disaster Protection Act, which includes tracking and compensation for occupational diseases after leaving employment, moving Taiwan's occupational disease compensation and protection system forward. The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health did not proactively inform them of the cancellation of the health checks and even suggested that RCA employees apply for follow-up health checks through the Occupational Disaster Protection Act, which is a betrayal of their promise.
The association stated that the Ministry of Labor showed contempt for the RCA Employees Concern Association and demanded the immediate resumption of the special health checks. They also demanded that Minister of Labor Hung Shen-han, who had previously supported the RCA case on the streets, come forward to explain and formally apologize.
In response, the Ministry of Labor stated that it is responsible for the health care of RCA occupational disaster workers. Therefore, the Ministry of Labor will continue to conduct the special health checks, providing them once every three years, and ensuring that the examination items are consistent with past checks.
The Ministry of Labor stated that it would promptly restart the special health checks for RCA occupational disaster workers and contact concerned groups to assist in their implementation and improvement, thereby continuously safeguarding the health rights of RCA occupational disaster workers. (Edited by Li Shu-hua) 1150417
Taiwan RCA Corporation (RCA) established a factory in Taoyuan in 1970 to produce home appliances and closed down in 1992. Later, it was discovered that the long-term use of organic solvents such as trichloroethylene had severely polluted the land and groundwater, leading to many employees contracting cancer. The "RCA Employees Concern Association," formed by former RCA employees and the families of deceased workers, filed a class-action lawsuit against RCA on behalf of over 1,700 former employees and their families. The lawsuit is still ongoing, making it Taiwan's largest, most victim-heavy, and longest-running occupational disaster pollution incident.
The Occupational Disaster Workers' Association and the RCA Concern Association held a press conference in front of the Ministry of Labor today, stating that they had continuously pressured the government to actively track the health status of affected employees and establish an occupational disease database. This led to the official promise to provide RCA employees with a special health check project every three years.
However, the association stated that although seven special health checks have been conducted, the Ministry of Labor often acted only when pushed. It was not until 2015, when RCA workers won the first trial, that the Concern Association and the Ministry of Labor negotiated to add health check items based on the court's judgment, and the special health checks became stable. However, last year's special health check disappeared without a trace. Upon proactively calling the responsible Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, they were shocked to learn that the institute had not allocated a budget for the special health checks in 2024.
The association criticized that RCA workers' painful experiences contributed to the current formulation of the Occupational Disaster Protection Act, which includes tracking and compensation for occupational diseases after leaving employment, moving Taiwan's occupational disease compensation and protection system forward. The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health did not proactively inform them of the cancellation of the health checks and even suggested that RCA employees apply for follow-up health checks through the Occupational Disaster Protection Act, which is a betrayal of their promise.
The association stated that the Ministry of Labor showed contempt for the RCA Employees Concern Association and demanded the immediate resumption of the special health checks. They also demanded that Minister of Labor Hung Shen-han, who had previously supported the RCA case on the streets, come forward to explain and formally apologize.
In response, the Ministry of Labor stated that it is responsible for the health care of RCA occupational disaster workers. Therefore, the Ministry of Labor will continue to conduct the special health checks, providing them once every three years, and ensuring that the examination items are consistent with past checks.
The Ministry of Labor stated that it would promptly restart the special health checks for RCA occupational disaster workers and contact concerned groups to assist in their implementation and improvement, thereby continuously safeguarding the health rights of RCA occupational disaster workers. (Edited by Li Shu-hua) 1150417
FAQ
Why are the labor groups protesting?
The labor groups are protesting because they accuse the Ministry of Labor of abruptly canceling the RCA special health checks and breaking its promise.
What is the RCA case?
The RCA case is Taiwan's largest, most victim-heavy, and longest-running occupational disaster pollution incident, where many employees contracted cancer due to land and groundwater pollution from organic solvents.
What is the Ministry of Labor's response regarding the RCA special health checks?
The Ministry of Labor stated that it is responsible for the health care of RCA occupational disaster workers and will continue to conduct the special health checks, ensuring that the examination items are consistent with past checks.