TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's parliament approved a landmark bill Friday (May 9) that will expand the island's national holiday calendar by four days, delivering a hard-fought victory to labor advocates after years of persistent campaigning. The legislation represents a notable win for Taiwan's worker rights movement, which has pushed for the expansion since 2016. Despite the celebratory mood, labor organizations remain wary that future political shifts could reverse these gains through subsequent amendments to holiday regulations.
The Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's unicameral parliament, passed revisions to the "Act of Memorial Days and Holidays" (紀念日及節日實施條例), elevating several culturally and historically significant dates to official holiday status. The legislation designates Lunar New Year's Eve, Confucius' Birthday on Sept. 28, Taiwan Retrocession Day and the Battle of Guningtou Day (台灣光復暨金門古寧頭大捷紀念日) on Oct. 25, and Constitution Day (行憲紀念日) on Dec. 25 as national holidays. Also, Labor Day will now be recognized as a full national holiday. The amendments ensure that Taiwanese workers will enjoy at least seven consecutive days off during Lunar New Year celebrations.
Worker advocacy organizations framed the victory within a broader four-decade campaign for improved labor conditions that began with the implementation of Taiwan's "Labor Standards Act" (勞基法) in 1984. Representatives urged government officials to address what they describe as endemic overwork by reviewing maximum working hours and mandating additional rest periods. Labor activists specifically expressed unease about Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) legislators, Taiwan's ruling but minority party at the parliament, who voted against the holiday expansion. They voiced concerns that should the DPP regain its legislative majority in future elections, the party might roll back these newly established holidays. ★
