Hsinchu County magistrate candidate Cheng Chao-fang has unveiled a labour policy platform — positive news for grassroots workers and sanitation crews, and a move to court union votes ahead of the election.

• Cheng Chao-fang, the DPP candidate and current mayor of Zhubei, attended a family day event held by the Hsinchu County Federation of Trade Unions, where he pledged to establish a long-term labour support system if elected.
• He highlighted his record in Zhubei: improving sanitation workers' equipment and working conditions, introducing standardised occupational safety procedures, and obtaining both CNS and ISO certification.
• He promised that the county government would fund subsidies for township offices to replace refuse collection vehicles and equipment, so that local offices no longer bear the responsibility for looking after sanitation crews on their own.
• He also proposed integrating the townships to build a "Hsinchu County sanitation team brand", and expanding bonuses for residents who help with waste collection.
• He argued that labour rights should be institutionalised rather than addressed through one-off subsidies, covering workplace safety, working conditions and family care.

Outlook: With the Hsinchu County magistrate race heating up, labour and grassroots public-sector staffing issues are expected to become a major policy battleground for the campaigns in the period ahead.