Transport Minister Lin Chia-lung is calling for calm after a railway union branch said it would go on strike over the upcoming Tomb-Sweeping Festival. Workers at the Yilan branch of the Taiwan Railway Labor Union say they will refuse to work overtime during the public holiday. That’s in protest over a plan by the Taiwan Railways Administration to cut working hours and create a five-day work week.
Opponents of the plan say that if workers cannot make up for lost hours by working overtime, they will lose up to NT$10,000 (US$350) a month. So far, more than a hundred railway workers have applied for leave over the holiday in early April, and that number could more than double in the coming days.
On Monday, Transport Minister Lin Chia-lung said the changes are necessary, but he sought to ease railway workers’ concerns. Lin says that Taiwan Railways has hired over 3,000 new employees in recent years so that rail workers can enjoy a normal five-day work week. He says for that to happen, the ministry needs to adjust shifts accordingly.
But Lin says there will be no changes to workers’ shifts this year. He also says the transport ministry is listening to workers, and will take their fears into consideration when implementing any changes to working hours.