TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's parliament is set to deliberate a contentious holiday reform bill on Friday (May 9) as labor activists intensify pressure for its passage. The Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's unicameral legislature, will review the draft "Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Days" law (紀念日及節日實施條例), legislation that has become a flashpoint in the country's ongoing debate over work-life balance and labor rights.
Two prominent labor organizations — the "Dignified Labor Law Amendment Alliance" (尊嚴勞動修法聯盟) and the "Taiwan Workers' Alliance General Union" (台灣工人鬥陣總工會) — have emerged as the driving forces behind the holiday expansion campaign. These advocacy groups are pressuring lawmakers to increase the number of national holidays, arguing that additional time off represents a fundamental priority for Taiwan's workforce across diverse industries and regions.
Labor representatives staged a press conference on the steps of the parliament building earlier that day, where they asserted that expanding national holidays reflects overwhelming public sentiment. The coalition detailed their nearly decade-long struggle, chronicling eight years of persistent activism that has encompassed grassroots organizing, petition campaigns, street demonstrations, and more dramatic measures including hunger strikes and organized marches through Taiwan's urban centers.
The conflict traces back to 2015 when workers began resisting the elimination of seven public holidays from the national calendar. Labor activists have maintained their campaign despite a political transition in 2016, when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's current ruling party, secured comprehensive control of both the presidency and legislature. With the bill now advancing to crucial second and third readings in parliament, labor organizations have issued explicit warnings that rejection could trigger intensified demonstrations and disruptions. ★
