TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The treatment of worker rights and disputes would be handled by a board of directors once Taiwan Railway becomes a company, said Wang Kwo-tsai, Taiwan's minister of Transportation and Communications, on Thursday (Dec. 28).
Marking a departure from current practices where such matters fall under the purview of the Minister, Taiwan Railway is slated to become a company on Jan. 1, 2024.
The transition will occur with a plaque unveiling ceremony at Taipei Station, marking its shift away from being a part of the administrative agency Taiwan Railways Administration.
Wang expressed hopes for a clean slate of debt, improved safety protocols, and more flexible related systems post-corporatization.
In response to issues concerning employee vacation rights and driver treatment, raised by the Taiwan Railway Labor Union, Wang said decisions would be left to Taiwan Railway as a company.
Addressing worries about a potential retirement wave among senior maintenance staff at Taiwan Railway, Wang noted that retirement is a norm at all workplaces.
He added that the inclusion of younger employees may potentially usher in improved performances.