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.
PLA MANEUVERS: Although Beijing has yet to formally announce military drills, its coast guard vessels have been spotted near and around Taiwan since Friday The Taiwanese military is on high alert and is closely monitoring the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) air and naval deployments after Beijing yesterday reserved seven airspace areas east of its Zhejiang and Fujian provinces through Wednesday. Beijing’s action was perceived as a precursor to a potential third “Joint Sword” military exercise, which national security experts said the PLA could launch following President William Lai’s (賴清德) state visits to the nation’s three Pacific allies and stopovers in Hawaii and Guam last week. Unlike the Joint Sword military exercises in May and October, when Beijing provided detailed information about the affected areas, it
CHINA: The activities come amid speculation that Beijing might launch military exercises in response to Lai’s recent visit to Pacific allies The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said China had nearly doubled the number of its warships operating around the nation in the previous 24 hours, ahead of what security sources expect would be a new round of war games. China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organize military drills around the nation in response to President William Lai’s (賴清德) recent visit to Pacific allies, including stops in Hawaii and Guam, a US territory. Lai returned from the week-long trip on Friday night. Beijing has held two rounds of war games around Taiwan this year, and sends ships and military planes
Five flights have been arranged to help nearly 2,000 Taiwanese tourists return home from Okinawa after being stranded due to cruise ship maintenance issues, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced yesterday. China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) have arranged five flights with a total of 748 additional seats to transport 1,857 passengers from the MSC Bellissima back to Taiwan, the ministry said. The flights have been scheduled for yesterday and today by the Civil Aviation Administration, with the cruise operator covering all associated costs. The MSC Bellissima, carrying 4,341 passengers, departed from Keelung on Wednesday last week for Okinawa,
US president-elect Donald Trump said he would “never say” if Washington is committed to defending Taiwan from China, but “I would prefer that they do not do it [ an attack],” adding that he has a “good relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). “I never say because I have to negotiate things, right?” Trump said in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press host Kristen Welker after saying he would not reveal his incoming administration’s stance on Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. Asked the question again, Trump, in a reference to China, said: “I would prefer that they