Company's shadowy salary policies - need advices!

I have the same experience as you headhoncho, but there are “normal” companies out there. The one I am working for now is Ok.
The reasons for people being exploited is that they let employers exploit them. There is NO unity here to stand up against the employers and say enough is enough. I always encourage my Taiwanese friends & Co-Workers to speak up when something is not right. But it is so deep rooted in their culture not to speak up against authority. Of course another reason is people are afraid of getting fired & replaced.
I refuse to get exploited and so should everyone else.

[quote=“Kaalund”]I have the same experience as you headhoncho, but there are “normal” companies out there. The one I am working for now is Ok.
The reasons for people being exploited is that they let employers exploit them. There is NO unity here to stand up against the employers and say enough is enough. I always encourage my Taiwanese friends & Co-Workers to speak up when something is not right. But it is so deep rooted in their culture not to speak up against authority. Of course another reason is people are afraid of getting fired & replaced.
I refuse to get exploited and so should everyone else.[/quote]

Two sides of the same coin:

Yes, Taiwanese are extremely polite.
Yes, there is rarely any street violence like in the West.

But…

Taiwanese often come across as spineless, Ferengi-like characters who love to engage in victim bashing and running after their masters.

I.e. students who just recently protested against China’s dominance yet happily purchase flight tickets via Beijing or Shanghai to save 2,000 NT$. Or people who just let traffic victims bleed to death on the side of the road. Or traffic victims who sue those who helped them. Or employees accepting at times illegal procedures at work in the hopes of getting a promotion some day. Welcome to Taiwan.

Use your phone to record conversations, and use it against them when the time is right.

Could you update us on how it all worked out?

i’ve been told that Taiwanese don’t do these sorts of things because if they stir any shit its going to effect their chances of getting a job in future. i get tired of hearing about the crap the bosses pull anyway and people just eating it up.