The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) yesterday said that it is reviewing the work schedule of station employees and will communicate with its workers’ union after conductors and station staff threatened to go on strike during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday next month.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily yesterday published a work schedule provided by a TRA station employee who wanted to remain anonymous, showing that some station employees were assigned to work from 8pm to 8am, followed by 24 hours of rest and then an eight-hour shift that starts at 8am.
Although the schedule gives the employees a 24-hour break between the two work days, they said they are essentially inside a railway station for three straight days and do not receive additional pay for working the night shift.
The Apple Daily said that 400 conductors and station employees have united in their demand for better schedules.
Conductors asked for at least eight hours of rest when they need to spend the night outside their home cities.
Station employees said the agency needs to change the way the schedule is arranged so that they can get a full day off, adding that those working the night shift should get additional pay.
Should the agency fail to meet their demands, the employees said they will mobilize 4,000 TRA cabin crew to take the long Mid-Autumn Festival weekend off.
The holiday runs from Sept. 15 to Sept. 18.
TRA said it would discuss with the union the possibility of reducing night shift personnel, adding that it is seeking to hire more employees, reduce its services and adjust work schedules to address staff shortages as well as the demands for rest time.
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