The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday announced that the director general of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) has decided to step down from his position just two months before a threatened Lunar New Year strike by the railway labor union.
Minister Lin Ling-san (林陵三) confirmed the resignation, stressing that Huang Te-chih (黃德治) had cited health conditions as the reason for his resignation. Lin said that Huang would temporarily stay in the ministry as an advisor to the railway administration. Deputy director Hsu Ta-wen (徐達文) would eventually replace Huang, Lin said. Hsu is head of the TRA committee in charge of strike negotiations.
Lin dismissed speculation that Huang had been replaced because of criticism directed at his handling of negotiations with the Taiwan Railway Labor Union.
"Huang's resignation has nothing to do with the strike. Huang worked very hard to resolve differences with the labor union, traveling to train stations nationwide to speak with workers. Furthermore, negotiations are going very smoothly right now," Lin said.
After a controversial conference during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the railway union voted to launch a seven-day strike during the Lunar New Year if the government refuses to meet its demands.
The union's grievances stem from government plans to privatize the railway administration.
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