Labor union alliance gives support to rail strike on Sept. 11

Representatives from the Alliance of Government-run Enterprise Labor Unions (AGRELU) hold up signs stating their support for the Taiwan Railway Labor Union's strike planned for Sept. 11 during a demonstration in front of Taipei Main Railway Station yesterday. PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The Alliance of Government-run Enterprise Labor Unions (AGRELU) yesterday threw its support behind the Taiwan Railway Labor Union's plan to stage a strike on the day of the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept. 11.

Representatives from the alliance, which consists of labor unions of such state-owned corporations as Taiwan Power Co, Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp and China Airlines, gathered at the Taipei Railway Station to express their support for the strike aimed at protecting railway workers' rights and interests.

Led by the alliance's convener, Chang Hsu-chung (張緒中), the representatives chanted slogans urging the government to address workers' rights and interests, and distributed among train passengers leaflets asking them to tolerate a day of travel chaos in exchange for "permanent safety in railroad transportation."

Some of the passengers expressed support for the planned strike, while others urged management and labor to sit down to seek a solution to their dispute.

Representatives from other labor unions also rallied at Taichung Railway Station, Tainan Railway Station and Kaohsiung Railway Station to support the strike.

During an extraordinary meeting held in mid-August, the railway labor union decided to strike on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival -- one of the three major holidays for Chinese people -- in an effort to protect their rights and interests.

According to Taiwan Railway Labor Union Chairman Chang Wen-cheng (張文正), around 12,000 of 14,000 Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) employees are expected to take part in a general meeting that will take place on Sept. 11.

At the upcoming general assembly, the labor union members will once again voice their opposition to the privatization of the TRA, profit-making plans for the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp and plans to ultimately put an end to the TRA, Chang said.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has asked the TRA management to complete the company's privatization process before July 1 next year.