Taipei, July 16 (CNA) The number of workers on furlough in Taiwan has dropped by 43 percent to 610 in the past two weeks, according to the latest statistics released by the Council of Labor Affairs Monday.

As of July 15, those workers from 20 companies had reached agreements with their employers to take unpaid leave and are currently on furlough, the statistics showed.

The number represented a decrease from June 30, when 1,073 workers from 17 companies were on furlough at that time after coming to arrangements with their employers.

It is the first time that the number of furloughed workers has fallen below 1,000 since the council began releasing the figures in October last year.

The figures reached their peak on Dec. 31, 2011, when more than 13,000 workers from over 100 companies had agreed to furlough arrangements with their employers, with over 12,000 on furlough at that time.

Since then, the figures have shown a downward trend.

The council said it will continue to monitor the situation and assist local labor administrations on matters regarding workers' rights.

(By Christie Chen)
ENDITEM/npw