Taipei: Labor rights groups are mobilizing to present seven key demands, including the implementation of a four-day work week and the addition of public holidays, during a Labor Day march in Taipei on May 1. The Labor Day 51 Alliance, comprising numerous Taiwanese labor unions and NGOs, has organized the demonstration, which will start on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office and proceed through Zhongxiao West Road and Zhongshan South Road before returning to the boulevard.
According to Focus Taiwan, the alliance is expected to gather up to 5,000 participants, advocating for significant changes to Taiwan's labor policies. One of their primary demands is to amend the Labor Standards Act to increase the number of special leave days and gradually transition to a three-day weekend. Additionally, the alliance aims to have Labor Day recognized as a national holiday, as stated by Tai Kuo-jung, president of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions and chief organizer of the rally.
Another significant issue the alliance seeks to address is workplace bullying. Tai emphasized the need for provisions within the Occupational Safety and Health Act to protect employees, including both civil servants and workers, from workplace harassment. They propose that an impartial third party and labor representatives jointly handle such cases, and that employers be prohibited from retaliating against employees who file complaints.
The alliance also demands an increase in employers' mandatory monthly contributions to workers' labor pension accounts, with a proposal to remove the 45-month cap on lump-sum pension payment calculations under the old system. Additionally, they are calling for a raise in the minimum monthly wage from NT$28,590 (US$885) to NT$32,000, and an adjustment of the hourly minimum wage from NT$190 to NT$210 to counteract inflation.
Further demands include enhancing labor rights protection through more effective employee-employer negotiations and lowering the threshold for forming labor unions. The alliance also plans to address the job security of workers in high-emission industries amid low-carbon transitions and tackle staff shortages in crucial sectors such as healthcare, education, and childcare.