KAOHSIUNG (TVBS News) — The Environmental Protection Bureau of the Kaohsiung City Government clarified on Wednesday (Jan. 3) that due to different recruitment paths for full-time and part-time cleaning staff, they needed to allow those applying for temporary work before considering applicants from previous years.
Earlier in the day, Kaohsiung City Councilor Lina Chen led more than a dozen people in a press conference, claiming to be those on the waiting list to become part of the city's cleaning crew, who passed the "Kaohsiung City Official Cleaning Staff" exam two years ago and have yet to receive a position from the Environmental Protection Bureau.
In response to this, the Bureau reiterated that the different recruitment avenues would not infringe upon part-time workers' rights.
In the cleaning staff recruitment held by Kaohsiung City's Environmental Protection Bureau at the end of 2021, both men and women had to carry sandbags and run back, attracting over 7,400 applicants for 850 positions.
Two years on, some of the candidates on the waiting list are still waiting for the opportunity to work at the Bureau.
Councilor Chen questioned, "The alternate staff for cleaning and driving, who have been waiting for two to three years, should be given a chance to work."
At that time, the bureau recruited 172 official cleaners and drivers, with an additional 678 others on the waiting list, of whom only half have been employed to date, leaving about 300 still in wait.
Earlier this year, the bureau began recruiting part-time staff, even though the previous list of alternates has not yet been fully filled.
Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Kao Tsung-yung, explained that the test more than two years ago was to recruit full-time staff, and the current recruitment is for temporary personnel, which is different.
He also assured that the initial job fair brochure indicated those on the waiting list would be sequentially substituted; however, it did not guarantee that they would definitely be appointed.
The Bureau announced the eighth round of 100 alternates' roster on Jan. 3 and will continue to do so in April, July, and October.
Those on the waiting list still need to wait for their chance.