Labor unions, scholars call for more universal national holidays

Taipei, Oct. 23 (CNA) Labor groups and scholars called for more universal national holidays at a Legislative Yuan public hearing in Taipei on Wednesday.

The hearing aimed to collect opinions on making into law the Implementation Regulations on Memorial Days and Holidays, which is currently an executive order.

Taiwan Solidarity Front Confederation of Trade Unions and Chunghwa Telecom Workers' Union issued a joint statement after the hearing, demanding seven more national holidays and that those holidays should be universal.

The latter demand refers mainly to Labor Day in Taiwan, which is celebrated on May 1. Unlike those employed by non-government organizations, military staff, civil servants and teachers are not regarded as laborers and do not get that day off.

Hung Hsiu-lung (洪秀龍), the president of Chunghwa Telecom Workers' Union, said that the average working hours of laborers in Taiwan is the sixth highest in the world.

The average Taiwanese employee works a total of 2,008 hours, much higher than the 1,626 hours in Japan and 1,904 in South Korea, he said.

In terms of national holidays, Taiwanese laborers get 12 days, whereas the Japanese workers have 16 and South Koreans 15, he added.

Hung noted that the government said the reduction in the number of national holidays -- from 19 to 12, in 2018, was to ensure nationwide consistency. However, the current situation on Labor Day contradicts that claim.

At the hearing, National Chengchi University Graduate Institute of Labor Research professor Liu Mei-chun (劉梅君) agreed that there should be more holidays that apply to the whole country.

National Taipei University Department of Public Administration and Policy professor Lu Yu-cheng (呂育誠) said that establishing a law will regulate the process by which national holidays are determined and rules set, in a way everyone can abide by. He also disagreed with holidays that are exclusive to specific groups or professions.

Ho Cheng-chia (何政家), president of Taiwan Solidarity Front Confederation of Trade Unions, suggested the holidays could be incrementally added each year if the government has concerns the sudden increase of seven holidays would impact industries.

Liou You-syue (劉侑學), an assistant professor at the Center for General Education Project in China Medical University pointed out that Taiwanese laborers often waive their paid leave. They are more likely to take time off work on national holidays because such leave is less scrutinized by employers.

On the other hand, Wu Ming-yuan (吳銘源), president of the Kaohsiung City Small & Medium Enterprises Industry Alliance Association, and Ho Ming-yuan (何明原), a council member of the Chinese National Federation of Industries, were less enthusiastic about adding more national holidays, arguing that adjustments should be made according to Taiwan's economic growth and the burdens of employers.

Ho Ming-yuan cited the unclear economic outlook due to electricity rate hikes and wage hikes and said he hopes lawmakers will take all relevant factors into consideration.

Deputy Interior Minister Wu Tang-an (吳堂安) said that there are many different opinions on the matter, with relevant adjustments set to impact society, so the ministry will take a wide range of opinions into consideration and make a thorough assessment of the issue.

The proposal for the establishment of a new law was backed by legislators across party lines, including Chen Ying (陳瑩) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) legislative caucus, Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) of the Kuomintang (KMT), and independent Legislator Kao Chin Su-mei (高金素梅).

Meanwhile, DPP legislative caucus secretary-general Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) told the press that whether or not more national holidays should be introduced is open to discussion, but the adjustment should not be based on appealing to populist opinions.

Adjustments should not target specific groups, and also strike a balance based on Taiwan's economic and industrial development, she said.

There are currently seven proposals for the new law, all of which have passed the first reading and pending clause by clause review.

(By Chang Hsiung-feng, Chen Chun-hua, Lin Ching-yin, Wang Yang-yu and Wu Kuan-hsien)

Enditem/AW