Manufacturing, Care Workers March for Workplace Protections on Labor Day

TaiwanPlus News

Dozens of labor groups took to the streets of Taipei to call for better workplace protections on Labor Day. The country has some of the longest average working hours in the world, and workers are also calling for better wages and more annual leave, including national holidays.

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00:00Thousands of people representing dozens of labor unions and NGOs marched on Labor Day

00:11around Taiwan's presidential office in Taipei. They included workers from the manufacturing,

00:16medical and banking sectors calling for better workplace protections, including changes to the

00:22Labor Standards Act for benefits like more flexible time off, more national holidays and

00:27even four-day work weeks. In 2023, Taiwanese workers ranked fifth overall for working the longest hours

00:34compared to other developed countries. And those in the care services industry say

00:38long hours take a toll on their mental and physical health and affects the quality of their work.

00:57Stagnant wages is another issue that some essential workers say drive many out

01:04of the care industry.

01:18Another top concern, workplace bullying, after several high-profile incidents in recent years,

01:29including at the labor ministry itself, that have led to suicides. Taiwan's labor laws currently do

01:34not address reporting workplace bullying and harassment. But according to the latest poll,

01:39more than 70 percent of the public say they've experienced bullying in the workplace. And with

01:44these cases happening in the upper echelons of the government itself, these labor unions can't help

01:49but ask, how much will it take for the government to enact change?

02:10At a cabinet meeting on Labor Day, the head of the Labor Ministry's Occupational Safety and Health

02:15Administration came out with a list of improvements the government aims to make.

02:38Also at issue, rights for civil servants. Under current law, civil service workers are not allowed to form

02:43unions for collective bargaining and are forbidden from going on strike. Labor advocates say this puts

02:49them at a disadvantage. Taiwan has made strides in labor rights in the past few years, including

02:55improvements to the national holiday system. But without legal protections against workplace bullying,

03:00long working hours and stagnant wages, workers here will continue calling for more action.

03:06Client Wong, Chris Ma, Reese Ayers, and Tiffany Wong in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.

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