The prolonged debate over the workweek may be resolved on Friday if opposition lawmakers shift their support behind the Executive Yuan's proposal of a 44-hour workweek.
President Chen Shui-bian (
"If the opposition on Friday supports the 44-hour workweek proposal, then the president has promised he will give opposition parties a positive response," said Chiou I-jen (
While Chen did not specify what response he would offer, it is widely assumed that he was referring to a request by KMT lawmakers who have urged the president to promise that the 40-hour workweek would not be implemented during his term in office.
During his presidential campaign, Chen promised that he would implement a 40-hour workweek by the year 2002.
"At this point this is all that Chen can promise to do," Chiou added.
Chen's move in essence put the ball back in the KMT's court, which has long said that their support would come after Chen made such a promise in public.
However, if Chen's offer fails to win the support of opposition lawmakers -- especially KMT members -- it is unlikely that the Cabinet will get what it wants.
Attempts by DPP legislators yesterday to push through a revision to the Labor Standards Law which would impose a 44-hour workweek failed when opposition legislators refused to endorse the policy.
The DPP legislative caucus yesterday raised a motion in the Legislative Yuan to insert the amendment in the meeting's agenda, so that the amendment could be considered by the legislature immediately.
But the motion was voted down 80 to 60, with two abstentions.
The DPP took the move because the opposition-controlled Procedure Committee, which is in charge of arranging the legislative agenda, has continually kept the bill off the agenda.
Despite yesterday's failure, DPP legislators say they will renew the motion in the next Legislative Yuan meeting on Friday, in what would be a last-ditch effort before a new workweek -- namely 84 hours per two weeks -- is to start on Jan. 1.
DPP caucus whip Hsu Tain-tsair (
"We will work harder. The number of legislators who support the 44-hour workweek is definitely larger than what we saw today," Hsu said.
On June 16, the opposition-controlled legislature revised the Labor Standards Law to shorten the maximum working hours to 84 in a two-week period -- from the current 48 hours per week, in what was considered a big boost for workers.
The measure is set to take effect on Jan. 1.
However, the DPP-ruled government has expressed fear that the sharp decline of maximum working hours will put too heavy a burden on traditional industries and force them to go bankrupt, which will in turn worsen the unemployment problem.
The Executive Yuan therefore decided on Nov. 22 to submit another bill to the legislature to try to reverse the decision by adjusting the workweek to a total of 44 hours.
Ever since the Executive Yuan made clear its intention to change the workweek to 44 hours, labor groups have staged numerous demonstrations.
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