TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) on Friday (Sept. 13) expressed the full support of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部) regarding holiday bonuses.
Chen urged Taiwan Railways Corporation (台鐵) to communicate effectively with its employees, emphasizing cooperation during holidays.
The Taiwan Railway Labor Union (台灣鐵路工會) on Tuesday (Sept. 10) raised concerns about the unfulfilled promise of an NT$1,500 bonus for holidays such as the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. The union criticized the company's decision to issue gift vouchers instead of cash, leading to a potential strike vote.
The union reiterated that the change from cash to gift certificates, initially promised during labor-management meetings, showed a disregard for employees. The union called for MOTC intervention to avoid a strike.
Chen acknowledged the brewing strike and expressed gratitude to railway employees for ensuring transportation safety during holidays. He emphasized the MOTC's supportive stance on employee bonuses and urged Taiwan Railways Corporation's chairman and general manager to coordinate with the union.
On the same day, Chen visited the Freeway Bureau's (高速公路局) Traffic Control Center (交控中心) to inspect Mid-Autumn Festival traffic management.
He noted the unique holiday schedule, with one non-holiday day, and predicted lighter traffic compared to last year. The estimated national highway traffic volume is 1.1 million vehicle kilometers, down from 1.16 million last year. Chen hoped enhanced traffic measures would ensure smooth highway use.
