A coalition of labor unions yesterday petitioned Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
They asked Ma to convey their displeasure to the government over its recent announcement that it will reject the Legislative Yuan's decision to cut the workweek to 84 hours per fortnight.
The appeal marked the coalition's first wave of protest, to be followed by demonstrations at KMT headquarters today and at the Council of Labor Affairs tomorrow. A final large-scale protest will take place at the Presidential Office on Sunday, to coincide with International Human Rights Day.
PHOTO: CHU YU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
Among the unions gathered in front of Taipei City Hall yesterday were the Committee for Action for Labor Legislation (
Chien Cheng-fu (
"First of all, we're glad that Ma was on our side when the central government made its policy U-turn last Thursday ? Secondly, we're very disappointed at KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Chien said they would like Ma to ask Lien to stick to the party's original proposal of 84 hours per fortnight. "Since Ma attends the Cabinet meeting every week and is a Central Standing Committee member of the KMT, we would like Ma to convey our opinion to the premier and to Lien," Chien said.
Although Ma failed to show up to personally receive the groups yesterday, Director of the Bureau of Labor Affairs Cheng Tsun-chi (
The current 48-hour workweek stipulated by the Labor Standards Law (
However, when the Cabinet's proposal was sent to the legislature, the KMT, which holds a majority of seats, proposed and passed a bill that would restrict the workweek to 84 hours per fortnight.
In response, the Cabinet decided last Thursday to reverse the decision and revert to its planned 44-hour week, reasoning that the 84-hour fortnight decision would prompt more companies to leave the country and add to Taiwan's economic slowdown.
While Ma, himself a KMT member, criticized the government's decision last week, Lien promised President Chen Shui-bian (
Speaking to the Taipei Times on behalf of the union coalition yesterday, Chien said that labor unions hoped that eventually the 40-hour workweek, which will go into effect for civil servants on Jan. 1 next year, will eventually be expanded to encompass all workers.
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