Legislature passes amendment to improve police, firefighter pensions

Taipei, Jan. 7 (CNA) Taiwan's Legislative Yuan on Tuesday passed a law amendment to improve the retirement pension of police officers, firefighters as well as members of the coast guard and National Air Service Corps.

Under the amended Police Personnel Management Act, the monthly retirement income for people in the above-mentioned fields will be determined based on years served.

For instance, the income replacement ratio for those who have served 15 years, will be 43.25 percent, with the latter to increase by 1.75 percent every year until it reaches a maximum of 80 percent for 36 years.

For those with 37 to 40 years of service, the income replacement ratio will remain at 80 percent.

Passage of the law's amendment came after a draft proposal was introduced on June 13 last year by the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which aimed to bring the pension benefits for police officers, firefighters and the other categories into line with those of military personnel.

However, the KMT and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were unable to reach a consensus on the proposal, with cross-party negotiations failing to reach agreement on Jan. 6.

Jay Shih (施能傑), who heads the Ministry of Civil Service, at the time said that if the pension for police officers was improved, other civil servants who already retired with an income replacement ratio ceiling of 60 percent would consider that as unfair.

On Tuesday, the KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucuses argued that the amendment was necessary because police officers, firefighters as well as members of the coast guard and national air service work under a stressful and dangerous environment.

As a result, the proposed law amendment was passed by 60 to 49 votes during Tuesday's plenary session of the Legislature.

The KMT and the TPP together have 60 seats in the 113-seat Legislature, while the DPP has only 51.

DPP Legislator Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) said the amendment would only spur a sense of division among excluded civil servants, arguing that the pension reform represents a step backward.

Meanwhile, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), said his party would seek a constitutional interpretation of the amended bill.

"We will of course request a constitutional interpretation," Ker said.

However, the passage of the amendment was welcomed by the head of the Retired Police Officers Association, who expressed thanks for what he called "delayed justice."

"We are not asking for anything extra, only for the government to treat us fairly and reasonably, and to honor the retirement benefits it originally promised us," said Keng Chi-wen (耿繼文) in a statement.

Police, firefighters, coast guard personnel and others sacrifice and dedicate themselves to the country, and are the key force behind the country's social stability and development, Keng said.