彈性下的限制：理解中國台幹的跨界工作流動與生活安排

Constraints on Flexibility-Understanding Transnational Mobility and Living Arrangements of Taiwanese Highly Skilled Migrants in China

鄧建邦(Jian-Bang Deng)

《研究台灣》 3期 (2007/12) Pp. 1-36

https://doi.org/10.6456/JTS.200712.0001

摘要

台灣勞工前往中國大陸工作，常被描述爲是一群菁英或白領階級，擁有移動的自由，可以跨越國家疆界取得更好工作機會的一群人。同時，他們也因一般享有較好的收入、相較農民工有更優勢的社會位置及創造個人專業的成就的可能性，所以潛在假定爲是可以自由移動、少受拘束的一群人。本文凸顯流動與彈性這兩個議題，討論台籍幹部的跨界工作與生活安排。經驗資料主要來源於兩次研究期間於台商工廠／公司的田野觀察，及44位台籍幹部與4位女性台籍幹部配偶的深度訪談。
本文論證，台籍幹部雖然、稅前往中國大陸工作爲一種機會，一般享有較高的收入，具有專業，甚至被認定是白領，但仍需承受極高的流動代價，及受到因此而來的結構性限制。研究指出：(1)台灣勞工到中國大陸是一群技術勞工、中產階級的跨界流動；(2)對台籍幹部而言，流動不僅象徵自由、獨立而己，高度流動表達的其實是一種強制；(3)跨界流動的台籍幹部，選擇的是一種彈性勞動體制，需面對高度的風險。

關鍵字

台籍幹部 ； 技術移工 ； 跨國移民 ； 流動 ； 彈性

並列摘要

Taiwanese employees who work in Taiwanese-owned factories or companies in China are usually described as highly-skilled, Taiwanese elites, or the white-collar class, and possessing the most freedom of movement with the capability to obtain a better job by crossing the border. Many assume these skilled migrants face fewer barriers of movement because they usually have higher earnings, a privileged status in comparison with Chinese migrant workers, and therefore achieving professional success. By using ethnographic observation and in-depth interviews, this artic le analyses transnational migration and living arrangements of highly-skilled Taiwanese migrants in China. Results show that skilled migration is not a frictionless mobility, but rather a mobility with its own costs and constraints. First, 1 will argue that Taiwanese migrant workers would be better seen as middle-class migrants rather than as ”global elites”, despite being placed in the highly-skilled category. Secondly, Ⅰ will also argue that mobility in the modem era symbolizes freedom and independence, however, due to the need for maintaining high mobility skilled Taiwanese workers have more control than freedom. Finally, Ⅰ argue that highly-skilled Taiwanese choose a flexible labor regime through their transnational migration in China, and therefore, they are carrying higher risks, especially in terms of uncertainty regarding the next job and family arrangement.

並列關鍵字

Taiwanese employees in China ； highly skilled migrants ； mobility ； transnational migration ； flexibility