Taiwan’s Labor Day on May 1 may soon become a national holiday. A decision regarding expanding the holiday's scope is anticipated within the next two weeks, according to Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Tuesday.
Under current law, only private sector workers can get a day off on Labor Day. Public sector workers, including public school personnel, are excluded from the scope of the holiday, meaning parents and children within families have inconsistent holidays. A number of legislators and the National Federation of Teachers Unions have recently called on the government not to divide workers and to make Labor Day a national holiday.
Premier Chen says the Cabinet is holding inter-departmental meetings and communicating with private enterprise groups. During the legislative meeting on Tuesday, Kuomintang legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) asked if workers can expect a national holiday for Labor Day this year. In response, Premier Chen says there is still some opposition from different professional groups in the private sector, and communication is still ongoing. He says the public will be informed once a decision is reached.