Teachers to mark first Labor Day holiday amid call to join rallies

Taipei, April 29 (CNA) Teachers in Taiwan will observe Labor Day as a national holiday for the first time this year, with the Taiwan Higher Education Union (THEU) on Wednesday urging educators to join May Day labor rallies and push for reforms.

Although teachers' unions are not holding any official rallies on May 1, the THEU encouraged its members to attend rallies held across the country by other unions, including major events in Taipei and Kaohsiung organized by the May 1 Action Alliance.

At a press conference, the union said teachers had long been excluded from Labor Day leave despite being broadly considered as workers, creating disparities on campuses.

Union chairman Chou Ping (周平) said the change marks a shift in recognizing teachers as workers, and called on educators to join rallies to strengthen their collective voice and safeguard labor conditions.

The union outlined several demands, including enhancing university governance by allowing faculty and staff greater participation in leadership selection, rather than leaving the process solely to boards of directors.

It also called for stronger protections for vulnerable campus workers, including part-time and contract-based teachers, to address unequal pay and job insecurity.

In addition, the union demanded improved retirement benefits for private school staff and guaranteed severance protections in cases of layoffs.

Teachers were previously not entitled to Labor Day leave, but a legislative amendment passed in 2025 designated the day as a national holiday, making May 1, 2026 the first such observance for educators.