Taiwan Federation of Higher Education Unions Questions St. John's University for Laying Off Teachers Before Negotiations End
The Taiwan Federation of Higher Education Unions (THEU) accuses St. John's University of forcibly laying off teachers while negotiations are still ongoing. The union points out the university's lack of good faith in negotiations and even absence from meetings, sparking a labor dispute and calling for authorities to investigate.
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- 📰 Published: May 14, 2026 at 15:16
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(Central News Agency, Taipei, 14th) The Taiwan Federation of Higher Education Unions (THEU) held a press conference today, questioning St. John's University in New Taipei City for forcibly laying off teachers while negotiations with the union had not yet terminated.
Chang Chih-lun, director of the THEU's organization and training department, stated that the union began negotiations with St. John's University last year. However, the university did not negotiate in good faith, instead using the threat of halting negotiations to interfere with union affairs and was absent without reason from the third scheduled negotiation meeting.
Chang emphasized that the union has always maintained a positive attitude, hoping to have a proper discussion with the university. During the fourth negotiation meeting on April 9th this year, neither the president nor the vice president attended. The university only sent a lawyer, and the meeting was hastily concluded despite opposition from the union and teachers.
The THEU questions whether the lawyer was clearly instructed by the university to go through the motions of the negotiation process, with the real goal being to terminate the negotiations. In the April 9th meeting, the university did not substantively respond to the revised version proposed by the union, nor did it discuss it clause by clause, thus it cannot be considered 'negotiations completed'.
The THEU stressed that the university's continued advancement of the layoff process before the collective bargaining has legally concluded and before the teacher placement process is substantively complete may have already affected the legality of relevant teacher evaluation committee decisions and procedures.
The THEU also alleged that the university cannot claim this is a long-delayed '114 academic year placement procedure' while ignoring that teachers have proven the continued need for their courses through continuous teaching over the past year. 'The need for placement has disappeared, and the possibility of legal layoffs no longer exists.'
Furthermore, the THEU cited two rulings by the Ministry of Labor on February 2nd and March 27th of this year, respectively, case numbers Lao-Cai-Zi No. 31 and No. 34 of the year 114, which found the university involved in multiple unfair labor practices. These include sending letters to intimidate the union and failing to attend a collective bargaining agreement negotiation meeting (the 3rd meeting) without a valid reason, which violates the 'Labor Union Act' and the 'Collective-Bargaining Agreement Act'.
The THEU and Tsai Li-hui, president of the St. John's University Teachers' Association who was in attendance, jointly called on the university to immediately stop the teacher placement and layoff procedures; truthfully inform all faculty, staff, and students of the Ministry of Labor's ruling; continue collective bargaining without unilateral termination; and publicly disclose the curriculum and course scheduling basis for the 115 academic year to protect teaching hours. They also urged the competent authorities to intervene and investigate whether the relevant procedures were complete. (Editor: Kuan Chung-wei) 1150514
Chang Chih-lun, director of the THEU's organization and training department, stated that the union began negotiations with St. John's University last year. However, the university did not negotiate in good faith, instead using the threat of halting negotiations to interfere with union affairs and was absent without reason from the third scheduled negotiation meeting.
Chang emphasized that the union has always maintained a positive attitude, hoping to have a proper discussion with the university. During the fourth negotiation meeting on April 9th this year, neither the president nor the vice president attended. The university only sent a lawyer, and the meeting was hastily concluded despite opposition from the union and teachers.
The THEU questions whether the lawyer was clearly instructed by the university to go through the motions of the negotiation process, with the real goal being to terminate the negotiations. In the April 9th meeting, the university did not substantively respond to the revised version proposed by the union, nor did it discuss it clause by clause, thus it cannot be considered 'negotiations completed'.
The THEU stressed that the university's continued advancement of the layoff process before the collective bargaining has legally concluded and before the teacher placement process is substantively complete may have already affected the legality of relevant teacher evaluation committee decisions and procedures.
The THEU also alleged that the university cannot claim this is a long-delayed '114 academic year placement procedure' while ignoring that teachers have proven the continued need for their courses through continuous teaching over the past year. 'The need for placement has disappeared, and the possibility of legal layoffs no longer exists.'
Furthermore, the THEU cited two rulings by the Ministry of Labor on February 2nd and March 27th of this year, respectively, case numbers Lao-Cai-Zi No. 31 and No. 34 of the year 114, which found the university involved in multiple unfair labor practices. These include sending letters to intimidate the union and failing to attend a collective bargaining agreement negotiation meeting (the 3rd meeting) without a valid reason, which violates the 'Labor Union Act' and the 'Collective-Bargaining Agreement Act'.
The THEU and Tsai Li-hui, president of the St. John's University Teachers' Association who was in attendance, jointly called on the university to immediately stop the teacher placement and layoff procedures; truthfully inform all faculty, staff, and students of the Ministry of Labor's ruling; continue collective bargaining without unilateral termination; and publicly disclose the curriculum and course scheduling basis for the 115 academic year to protect teaching hours. They also urged the competent authorities to intervene and investigate whether the relevant procedures were complete. (Editor: Kuan Chung-wei) 1150514