To highlight the importance of women's labor rights, raise awareness of gender equality in the workplace, and remind the public that the lack of protection for labor rights can also lead to occupational accidents. COAPRE has specially chosen the Ministry of Labor International Conference Hall to host the premier of the digitally remastered labor education film "Their Stories" on September 18 in Taipei. Everyone is welcome to sign up for the event.
 

Minister of Labor and Chairman of COAPRE, Hsu Ming-Chun commented that this documentary tells the story of the hardworking female workforce during Taiwan's economic development. The story dates back to 1966, when the Kaohsiung Qianzhen Export Processing Zone was established, and young female workers flocked from rural areas to the cities, becoming the economic backbone of their families and Taiwan's economy. Furthermore, the documentary highlights the "25 Ladies Incident" on the fateful morning of September 3, 1973, when 25 young female workers from Cijin, Kaohsiung, who were anxious about being late for work, boarded a heavily overloaded boat that unfortunately sank and resulted in Taiwan's deadliest occupational accident involving a single gender. This September marks the 50th anniversary of the incident. Chen Chu, the President of the Control Yuan and Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Control Yuan member Fan Sun-Lu, Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-Chun, and Minister of Culture Shih Che especially returned to Kaohsiung to accompany the representatives of the bereaved families of the unfortunate victims of the incident. They gathered to commemorate and remember the 25 female workers who lost their lives and watched a musical drama inspired by the "25 Ladies" incident.
 

Hsu Ming-Chun stated that the pain of the incident still lingers for the families. History cannot be erased, and the sacrifice of these female workers indirectly led to the birth of the "Labor Safety and Health Act" (now the Occupational Safety and Health Act). In remembering those who came before us, Hsu Ming-Chun expressed gratitude for the contributions of these female workers to Taiwan's economy. He also hoped for a future with more equitable and safer work environments. The Ministry of Labor is committed to advancing the "Three Safety" policy of “stable employment”, “secure workplaces”, and “safe labor conditions”, aiming to provide businesses with improved labor resources and endow workers with better work-life balance. The Ministry of Labor and COAPRE also hosted the meaningful premiere of the digitally remastered “Their Stories” in Taipei to enhance people’s labor rights awareness.
 

Those interested in attending the premiere can contact Ms. Liao at COAPRE to sign up. (02)8522-9366 ext.870. In the future, COAPRE will host screening sessions at the 5 branches of the Workforce Development Agency, everyone from various industries, labor unions, business associations, and the general public is invited to sign up to view the film.