Lin Hui-kuan (Chinese: 林惠官; 17 October 1957 – 26 August 2009) was a Taiwanese labor unionist and politician.

Lin Hui-kuan
林惠官
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 2002 – 31 January 2008
ConstituencyRepublic of China
Personal details
Born(1957-10-17)17 October 1957
Lienchiang County, Republic of China
Died26 August 2009(2009-08-26) (aged 51)
Zhongzheng, Taipei, Taiwan
NationalityTaiwanese
Political partyPeople First Party
Other political
affiliations
Kuomintang (until 2001)
Alma materNational Taipei Institute of Technology
Occupationpolitician

Early career

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Lin earned a degree in electrical engineering from National Taipei Institute of Technology.[1][2]

In the early 2000s, he was president of the Chinese Federation of Labor, one of three national labor unions in Taiwan at the time.[3] In this position, he expressed opposition to flextime and boycotted multiple public hearings organized by the Council of Labor Affairs to discuss the topic.[4] Lin staunchly supported a government proposal to mandate 84 hours of work over two weeks, instead of a 44-hour workweek.[5][6] While serving on a panel convened by the Economic Development Advisory Conference, he fought to maintain a monthly minimum wage, and rejected an hourly wage proposal that was in discussion.[7] Lin attended the Asian regional meeting of the International Labour Organization in August, the first time representatives of Taiwan were permitted to speak at an ILO gathering.[8] Lin also worked for the Taiwan Railways Administration.[9]

Political career

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Lin accepted a 2001 legislative nomination from the People First Party, and was expelled from the Kuomintang.[10] While serving on the Legislative Yuan, Lin retained his position as head of the Chinese Federation of Labour,[11] and vehemently opposed a National Health Insurance rate increase.[12][13] New rates took effect in September 2002, and in response, Lin asked union members to pay no more than their previous premiums.[14] In November, Lin said of the Bureau of National Health Insurance, "The bureau is neither honest nor trustworthy."[15]

Lin was reelected in 2004 via the party list,[16] and served as PFP caucus whip.[17] He was also named a co-convenor of the Procedure Committee.[18] He contested the Lienchiang County Constituency seat in 2008 against Tsao Erh-chung, and lost.[19] Lin underwent surgery in July 2009. The operation was beset by complications, and he was transferred to National Taiwan University Hospital, where he died of sepsis on 26 August 2009, aged 51.[20] Charges against Lin dating from a 2004 protest were dropped in May 2012, because he had died.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Lin Hui-kuan (5)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Lin Hui-kuan (6)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  3. ^ Lin, Irene (25 November 2000). "Labor groups continue workweek policy protests". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  4. ^ Lin, Irene (23 August 2000). "Flexitime causes labor ruckus". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  5. ^ Low, Stephanie (22 December 2000). "Union no-show cripples 44-hour workweek plan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  6. ^ Low, Stephanie (23 December 2000). "Workweek row takes new turn". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  7. ^ Chuang, Chi-ting (15 August 2001). "Hourly wage proposal on hold for now". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Taiwan takes part in international labor conference". Taipei Times. 30 August 2001. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  9. ^ Lin, Chieh-yu (16 April 2003). "TSU demands PFP lawmaker give up railway position". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  10. ^ Low, Stephanie (13 October 2001). "KMT kicks out seven, punishes four members". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Legislator Lin re-elected chief of labor federation". The China Post. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  12. ^ Hsu, Crystal (27 July 2002). "Opposition talks tough on health-fee hike". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. ^ Chang, Yu-jang (13 August 2002). "Groups wrangle over protest date". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  14. ^ Chang, Yu-jang (1 September 2002). "3 million plan to boycott NHI hike". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  15. ^ Chen, Melody (5 November 2002). "Pan-blue lawmakers accuse BNHI of greed". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  16. ^ "PFP names candidates". Taipei Times. 6 October 2004. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  17. ^ "New caucus whips installed". Taipei Times. 2 August 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Arms bill rejected again". Taipei Times. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Legislative elections and referendums" (PDF). Taipei Times. 13 January 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Former lawmaker dies". Taipei Times. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  21. ^ Yang, Kuo-wen (1 June 2012). "Court clears pan-blue lawmakers". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.