TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A labor group rallied outside the Executive Yuan (行政院) on Thursday (March 13), pressing government officials to restore seven national holidays that were eliminated in 2016 and to increase labor pension benefits. The demonstration comes at a critical moment as Taiwan's Internal Administration Committee (立法院內政委員會) prepares to discuss the possible reinstatement of these holidays at a meeting scheduled for next Monday.
Members of "The Decent Work Law Amendment Alliance" (尊嚴勞動修法聯盟) view this as a prime opportunity to reverse what many workers consider a significant loss of benefits. The alliance presented multiple proposals for restoring the holidays, including options to extend existing holidays or designate specific cultural festivals as new national days off. Underscoring the urgency of their demands, the group warned that without concrete government action, they would escalate their protest to include a hunger strike beginning in April.
When approached for comment, Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) acknowledged the protesters' concerns but emphasized the complexity of the issues at hand and stressed the need for ongoing opinion-gathering and consensus-building, suggesting that immediate action might not be forthcoming.
The controversy dates back to 2016 when the government implemented the "one fixed day off and one flexible rest day" policy (一例一休), a labor reform that simultaneously eliminated seven previously mandated holidays under the "Labor Standards Act" (勞動基準法). Among the casualties were the day after New Year's Day, Youth Day, and Teacher's Day — holidays that many workers had come to expect as part of their annual benefits.
As pressure mounts on the government to respond, the alliance's demonstration highlights the ongoing tension between labor rights advocates and policymakers in Taiwan's evolving work environment.