Because of its economic growth during the past four decades, the Republic of China have ranked as a developed country before the year of 2000. The social structure of the R.O.C. has changed from a traditionally agricultural society to an industrial and commercial society. The labor population in the R.O.C. is increasing every year and is at this stage more than eight million big. Labor problems, such as the relationship between labor and management, the labor union movement, labor safety and health, vocational training, the adjustment of labor markets, labor insurance, and unemployment insurance are serious and in need of solution.
The nature of the labor problems is very complicated. Research on the labor problems must combine knowledge on philosophy and ideology, laws and regulations, the organization of administration, sociology, political science, economics and culture differences. Right now, not enough research on labor problems is done. Researchers attached to the departments of law, economics, social science, and business administration have published few research projects on labor problems. Research on labor problems has been neglected for a long time. Seen from the academic viewpoint, without the construction of this Institute research on labor problems will lack a comprehensive approach, it will not be train competent experts in this field.
Since the promulgation of the Labor Standard Law, employees have become more aware of their rights, and disputes between labor and management have consequently increased. Both government and enterprises are in need of research findings and competent experts to solve the labor problems. These problems are even more serious in the local governments are not in a position to hire competent professional labor officials, that the labor problems which occur in local areas cannot be solved immediately, and that labor problems at local level often turn out to be national problems. Labor problems are, therefore, directly affecting the political and social stability in this country. The labor problems also have an international connotation. Academic research on the labor problems is at this stage insufficiently developed, and we consequently lack participation in international academic exchange. Furthermore, our connection with the International Labor Organization is very weak and difficult to develop.
For the reasons mentioned above, the Graduate Institute of Labor Research was founded. This Institute was founded on August 1, 1990, and recruited fifteen graduate students. Dr. Hwang Yueh-chin was the first term chairman of the institute. Currently, the chairman is Professor Liu Mei-Chun. Now, we recruit 12 graduate students each year, including 10 general students and 2 at-job students.
