Transport industry to get special labor conditions

NEGATIVE IMPACT:Transportation employers who said that they cannot observe new labor rules have won a reprieve, as regulators have agreed to investigate further

By Loa Iok-sin  /  Staff reporter

Premier Lin Chuan, front row, second right, talks to the media in Kinmen County yesterday.

Photo: Wu Cheng-ting, Taipei Times

The Cabinet yesterday said that the new labor law has been postponed for two months and that it would give “special consideration” to certain industries, such as the travel, media and the public transportation industries, on the condition that labor rights are protected.

Cabinet spokesman Tung Chen-yuan (童振源) made the statement following a three-hour inter-ministerial meeting, which was held after representatives from more than 40 bus companies earlier yesterday said that they might have to reduce services to comply with new labor regulations.

The new labor law, which would have required all workers to have one day off for every six days worked, were due to come into effect tomorrow.

“The new mandatory labor regulation that requires workers to have one day off following every six days of work was initially to take effect tomorrow. The Cabinet has also agreed to give special consideration to certain industries following protests by employers in the travel, media and public transportation industries,” Tung told a news conference last night, adding that the Ministry of Labor would investigate further in conjunction with government agencies in charge of those industries.

Earlier yesterday, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said he would ask the labor ministry to research more flexible options for specific industries.

“We have to face the impact [that the new regulation would have] on businesses, and thus I will ask the labor ministry if they can come up with more flexible solutions for specific industries, such as service-oriented industries,” Lin said. “Of course, our priority is still protecting workers’ rights and giving them sufficient time to rest.”

According to labor ministry statistics, about 4.2 million workers would benefit from the new labor regulation, but it could have a negative impact on employers in certain industries, such as public transportation and media.

Representatives from transportation companies said that they need more flexibility in rostering shifts, especially during vacations or long weekends when demand increases.

Media organizations also expressed concerns that they might not always be able to observe rules, such as when journalists traveled with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on a state visit to Latin America that lasted 10 days.