TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's labor minister announced on Monday (Dec. 9) plans to prioritize reducing unnecessary overtime for Taiwan's workforce, which averaged 2,020 hours in 2023. The announcement follows recent reports of workplace bullying in the public sector, which have further lowered employee morale at the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部).
Legislator Chen Chao-tzu (陳昭姿) expressed skepticism about Hung Sun-han's (洪申翰) commitment to addressing these issues, stating that the ministry staff would feel disheartened without concrete actions. Hung reiterated the ministry's efforts to minimize overtime, noting that practices such as not responding to messages after work are already observed abroad.
Meanwhile, Legislator Wang Yu-min (王育敏) questioned whether increasing overtime pay might improve labor conditions, as the average total working hours increased by 15 hours compared to the previous year. Hung responded by emphasizing his commitment to advocating for workers' rights.
On the same day, labor groups staged a hunger strike outside the MOL's building, accusing Hung of avoiding and deflecting critical labor policy issues. They demanded more decisive action to protect workers' rights and improve working conditions.
