Labor groups fight to keep 7 days' holiday / 不滿砍7天假 勞團7人絕食抗議:捍衛到底　　　　　　　　　　

Anguished by the DPP administration's attempt to force through the Labor Standards Act amendment and cut 7 public holidays, 7 labor group representatives started a hunger strike in front of the Legislative Yuan. On Nov 5, the second day of the strike, they reiterated that the 7 holidays are crucial to the benefits and rights for the 9 million workers in Taiwan. Labor representatives launched another hunger strike on Nov 4. For now, they looked fine, sitting in the tent and talking to each other. They want to fight with all their strength for the labor's rights and benefits and get their 7 holidays back. ==CHEN YU-HSUAN, Taoyuan Confederation of Trade Unions president== We are among those who already have the benefits of those holidays, but many workers do not. I hope that when someone like us who have benefits can stand up and show support, many more others will be inspired to join the fight. ==LAN CHIH-MING, Taoyuan City Government DEP Union director== Workers often don't get enough rest. They can really use a few more days off. It's good for their health. Also, the 7 public holidays have always been part of labor's rightful benefits. Labor representatives said if the DPP passes the legislation forcefully and cuts the 7 holidays, then companies that currently give workers 123 annual holidays will also cut 7 days off to just 116 holidays. That's why they have to stand up for their rights. Mao Chen-fei, who joined the hunger strike, is a longtime social activist. He was not surprised to see that the DPP, which is a party that started in social activism, made a 180 turn in their stance after they were elected to power. ==MAO CHEN-FEI, Taoyuan Confederation of Trade Unions advisor== I'm not saddened by the change of stance. It only proves again that this is going to be a long, hard fight because it involves too much corporate interest - NT$9 billion per day. That's NT$63 billion for 7 holidays. Workers cannot win against these big corporations. Mao said that he is well aware of the fact that they will not likely stop the legislation because of the immense corporate interest involved, but they still want to continue their fight until the last stand. TRANSLATED BY：CHRISTINA LIU 不滿執政黨要強行通過「勞基法」相關修法、砍掉國定7天假，有7名勞工團體代表，從星期五下午開始，在立法院前進行絕食抗議，他們表示，這7天假，攸關全台900萬勞工的薪資和休假權益，絕對要捍衛到底。 坐在帳篷裡，有人滑手機，有人在聊天，神色看起來沒有什麼異狀！勞工團體代表，從昨天下午開始，再次發起絕食抗議，要用自身力量，來捍衛勞工的休假、薪資權益，討回可能被刪除的國定7天假。 ==桃園市產業總工會理事 陳雨媗== 當我們已經有(休假權益) 可是還有很多人沒有的時候 那如果我們有(休假)的 願意再站出來 去呼籲跟支持 希望可以 很多沒有的人 也願意 就是可以站出來這樣子 ==桃園市環工理事 藍志銘== （勞工）他本身 休息的時間也不夠 能夠多休息 他還是 對勞工本身會比較好一點 而且這個(7天)假 原本就是屬於勞方的 絕食代表說明，只要執政黨強行通過修法、刪除7天假的話，那麼現在能給勞工，一年123天假的公司，最後也只會給勞工一年116天假，因此無論如何，都要站出來。而面對原本也是社會運動出身的民進黨，選前、選後的轉變，長期參與社會運動的絕食代表毛振飛，覺得並不意外。 ==桃園市產業總工會顧問 毛振飛== （看到轉變）心裡不會難過 就是起碼證實了一個東西 我們知道這場仗 很難贏 因為這個利益 牽扯太大 1天90億 7天就630億(成本) 憑我們這樣的工人的力量 怎麼可能改變 毛振飛坦言，這次絕食行動，能成功擋住修法的可能性，其實並不高，因為背後牽涉的利益實在是太大了，但還是堅持要奮鬥到底，直到倒下為止。 記者 曹晏郡 林志堅 台北報導