Does anyone know how to get in touch with this group?
what do they call themselves? D.A.F.T.T.?
Tinman,
Have a look at this link.
http://www.twblog.net/migrants/archives/001078.html
It gives two contact e-mail addresses near the bottom of the page.
How strange, just this morning I was contacted about this. Apparently a member of the Academia Sinica named Teri Silvio has set this up. She has/had a fellowship at at the University of California Berkley. Wasn’t there a famous Cuban named Silvio?
There was a small article in the China Times this morning about it.
[quote]We are forming this organization in response to the recent implementation of a policy requiring all foreign teachers to get yearly medical check-ups in order to qualify to have our work permits renewed and keep our positions. In principle, we are against any form of imposed health check. Further, we are against the discriminatory deployment of this policy. If it has been put into effect because teachers come into contact with students, but is in fact only required for foreign teachers, then this constitutes a form of discriminatory surveillance toward foreign teachers at the most private and physical level. Confronting this level of discrimination has made us realize that, no matter how much we contribute on the job, as foreigners we are simply not as secure in our jobs as are our Taiwanese colleagues. Thus the present need to form this organization.
Ms. Silvio is a bit naive, if it took this for her to find out that foreigners are second-class citizens here in some ways…
Vorkosigan
[quote=“Vorkosigan”]Ms. Silvio is a bit naive, if it took this for her to find out that foreigners are second-class citizens here in some ways…
[/quote]
And you are pretty naive as well, thinking that we are citizens of any class here… 
Seems a little silly – don’t ALL foreign workers have to undergo the health checks, not just teachers? I guess that’s why she’s DAFT(T). 
Personally, I look on it as a plus; if I’ve gotten some dread disease, I’d like to know about it. (As long as they’ll do a second test to weed out a false positive.)
[quote=“Boomer”]She has/had a fellowship at at the University of California Berkley. Wasn’t there a famous Cuban named Silvio?
[/quote]
You’re probably thinking of Mario Savio. He was a leader of the Free Speech Movement at the University of California at Berkeley back in the 60s.
I noticed that the DAFTS website has expanded. They’ve put up some bulletin boards where you can make comment of discrimination.
english.ncu.edu.tw/news/040601/index.htm
[quote=“tinman”]I noticed that the DAFTS website has expanded. They’ve put up some bulletin boards where you can make comment of discrimination.
English.ncu.edu.tw/news/040601/index.htm[/quote]
Heh. Time to troll!!! 
Steve, why bother going there, you are doing well enough here. 
why troll them? they are sticking their necks out to benefit you.
[quote=“Vorkosigan”]ARC holders who get them through their wives don’t have to do health checks. And we can renew every three years, instead of every year. Silvio has a valid point with respect to the health test – the rules were just changed, and with respect to the retirement and access to research funding.
Vorkosigan[/quote]
Just those that get them through their Taiwanese wives!! My hubby has his ARC through me and had to poop in a cup, along with the other stuff!
any news on the stauts of the democratic association of foreign teachers in taiwan? i recall reading of their creation. have they been active since then? are the founders still in taiwan?
I invited them both to a meeting/press conference with local labor leaders as well as a rep from the AFL/CIO back in the states two weeks ago.
And what happened?
Nothing, they both declined. It was my understanding that there was some significant progress made in the way of addressing the current human rights situation on Taiwan from an organized labor perspective.
Definitely a missed opportunity for this new upstart. It was however an excellent opportunity to network, trade information and support.
Is there an update on the status of this “Democratic Alliance for Foreign Teachers in Taiwan” … ?
I have posted on their website bulletin board, on my own website and, written the organizers directly about various things, but I’ve gotten no response. Their website bulletin board indicates almost no traffic. I don’t think they are functioning anymore.
Were they ever?