The opposition-controlled legislature voted yesterday to keep its June 16 decision to reduce working hours to 84 per fortnight, denying the Executive Yuan its 44-hour workweek proposal.
The Executive Yuan's amendment was blocked by a vote of 83 to 63, in what was a joint effort by the KMT, People First Party and New Party.
Yesterday's development took place following the breakdown of negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties on a compromise deal proposed by the opposition.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
This means that the 84-hours-per-fortnight measure will take effect on Jan. 1, unless both sides are able to reach a last-minute agreement today.
The possibility of such a consensus, however, has been widely considered to be virtually non-existent, because both ruling and opposition lawmakers are reluctant to give ground.
"[Today] will be the final opportunity, but any motion to consider the workweek issue again must be raised based on a consensus," Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said.
Under the compromise proposal, the limit on working hours would be maintained at 84-hours-per-fortnight, but there would be a one-year transitional period in which employers could opt for 88-hours-per-fortnight after obtaining their employees' consent. The opposition has insisted on setting the transitional period at one year, on the grounds that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) promised during his presidential campaign to implement a 40-hour workweek in 2002.
Chen yesterday twice rang up Wang to express his concern over the legislature's decision and his gratitude for the lawmakers' efforts on the workweek plan. Chen enraged opposition lawmakers on Tuesday after he accused opposition politicians of deliberately opposing every policy he put forth.
Chen's belated goodwill, however, appeared to be in vain.
While the opposition still stuck to one year as their bottom line, the DPP caucus wanted to have the transitional period extended for at least an additional six months.
Opposition and ruling lawmakers blamed each other for the breakdown in negotiations.
"The compromise proposal is endurable, though not fully acceptable, to both workers and the industrial sector. But the DPP has firmly rejected this proposal," said Her Jyh-huei (
"Under these circumstances, we are forced to go back to square one," Her said.
The DPP, however, dismissed the opposition's proposal as one that will only bring more uncertainty to Taiwan's economy.
"A transitional period of one year will bring yet more uncertainty for the industrial sector, in terms of their need to adjust to the change and in terms of their decision-making processes. This is absolutely meaningless," said DPP caucus whip Hsu Tain-tsair (許添財).
Hsu, who was unhappy with the opposition coalition's take-it-or-leave-it proposition, said the DPP caucus would rather have the workweek negotiations end at this point.
"If it's possible to achieve a transitional period of one-and-a-half years, there will still be room for discussion. If they still want to stick to one year, it would be a waste of time to continue discussing the issue," Hsu said.
Hsu said the Executive Yuan should now be fully prepared for the possible consequences brought about by the sharp reduction in the workweek, which may include an increase in the cost of labor and higher unemployment.
Lai Shyh-bao (
For example, the premium rate for labor insurance could be reduced by two percentage points, so that employers would pay some NT$30 billion less per annum, Lai said.
Meanwhile, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) expressed his regret over yesterday's development.
"The 44-hour workweek amendment was intended to serve the best interests of both workers and the industrial sector," Chang said.
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