Taiwan Church News 3297 Edition May 5 - 10, 2015 Church Ministry Protesting Overwork, Taiwan Labour Front Asks 40 Hours Per Week Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong "Open wide the protective umbrella for Taiwan's 3.4 millions workers!", chanted by dozens of protesting workers led by Taiwan Labour Front(TLF), who raised up bright yellow umbrellas and aligned themselves to form the number“40”in the middle of Jinan Road outside the Legislature Yuan on April 30. Sun Yo-lian, Secretary-General of TLF, said that the hazardous overwork of Taiwanese workers had reached 2,124 hours per year. Such an alarming figure was ranked the third highest in current global records, only surpassed by South Korea and Mexico. TLF asked an immediate law amendment, stipulating 40 work hours per week in the Labor Standards Act, to protect Taiwan workers. Since 2001, when 49% Taiwan employee in private sectors, including police and firemen, were applied a legal capping hours at 84 hours per two weeks, most employees in public sectors(personnel in government, army and school) had already been given 40 hours per week. This is why even police officers and firemen joined this TLF protesting assembly, asking to cap working hours at 40-hours per week. p.s. : According to an up-dated local news, a law amendment capping weekly work hours at 40 was passed on May 15. The amendment of article 30 of Labor Standards Act got the approval of lawmakers across party lines, who confirmed it as "A victory for workers!" The amended law stipulates that a worker is not to work more than eight hours a day. Starting from 2016, Taiwan workers will be under no obligation to work for more than 40 hours per week or eight hours per day. This amendment is deemed as the legal basis for workers to get two days off per week. Translated by Peter Wolfe |