TAIWAN RAILWAY UNION PLANS TO HAVE LEGAL DAY-OFF ON LUNAR NEW YEAR|台鐵產業工會 醞釀春節"合法休假"

The Taiwan Railway Union is threatening an industrial action over the Lunar New Year, protesting the Taiwan Railways Administration's failure to solve staffing shortages and a decrease in pay after the new labor laws came into effect. The action will involve the union's 2,000 members walking off over the Lunar New Year. This may lead to problems with station staffing over the Lunar New Year. The TRA's corporate union is against the action, saying that it does not follow legal procedure and violates the Civil Service Act. Participants may be considered absent without leave. The Taiwan Railway Union, formed independently by railway employees, is dissatisfied that their hours have remained long and pay has actually decreased since the implementation of the new days-off law. It is threatening to have its members walk off work over the Lunar New Year. This has attracted criticism from the Taiwan Railways Administration's (TRA's) corporate union. ==WU CHANG-CHIH TRA Corporate Union spokesperson== Planning for the Lunar New Year is like planning a war campaign. There is no room for personal opinions or behavior. ==WANG CHIEH Taiwan Railway Union Chairman== Last year the corporate union chairman said that there might be a strike over the Lunar New Year, or that there might even be demonstrations on the tracks. Last year they said that, but this year they're saying that we can't strike or even take time off over the Lunar New Year or any other holiday. They're not even thinking about fighting for workers' rights. Taiwan Railway Union Chairman Wang Chieh says that the union's 2,000 members will be off the job over the holiday. He also says that, though TRA employees are both civil servants and workers, their working conditions are covered by the Labor Standards Act, so that the TRA cannot have employees work overtime without their consent. The action will affect ticketing and train dispatch. ==WANG CHIEH Taiwan Railway Union Chairman== Our statement is based on the decisions of our members. We don't need to use vacation days. That's the point, we don't need anyone's permission. These are public holidays that we deserve to have off. ==WU CHANG-CHIH TRA Corporate Union spokesperson== They have no right to take an action like this. We are very concerned that, if he is fired or considered absent without leave over this, we will have no way to protect him. The corporate union says that the TRA recruitment handbook states that employees are public servants and subject to the TRA's work schedules. But the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Public Service, and Ministry of Labor are all unable to give a clear answer whether TRA employees are subject to the Labor Standards Act or the Civil Service Act. This confusion has triggered the union's fight for its rights. 台鐵產業工會不滿台鐵沒解決人力短缺問題，更因為一例一休上路後，排班更造成台鐵員工，不但工時不便，薪資卻減少的狀況，因此將發動2千名會員，在除夕到初三合法休假。恐怕造成春節期間，車站無人售票的問題。此舉也引發企業工會不滿，認為產工不按合法程序來進行訴求，已經違反公務人員服務法，還可能被記曠職。 由員工自主組成的台鐵產業工會，不滿一例一休上路後，輪班制沒改善，工時一樣長，而且薪水還減少。批評台鐵罔顧員工權益，將在春節除夕到初三，合法休假4天。但這個舉動卻引起台鐵企業工會不滿，引發兩工會互槓。 ==台鐵企業工會發言人 吳長智== 春節運輸計畫 鐵路局視同一個作戰的計畫 是不容許個人有任何的一種 想法跟作為呀 ==台鐵產業工會理事長 王傑== 去年的時候企業工會理事長說 他要爭取東西 不排除春節怎麼警告性罷工 或者是他個人不排除臥軌 他們都可以喊出這樣的東西 可是卻在這時候 告訴員工說他不會在春節 或者任何假日進行罷工或休假 這完全就是不會替員工 爭取權益的意思 產業工會理事長 王傑表示，春節期間會發動2000人休假，爭取權益。更說，依照勞基法84條規定，台鐵員工兼具公務員及勞工身分，但工作條件受勞基法保護，因此台鐵要員工加班，必須經員工同意。休假後將衝擊車站，無人售票或調度車輛的情況。 ==台鐵產業工會理事長 王傑== 照工會決議送出聲明書 我們沒有必要去做請假的動作 重點就是沒有必要 去做請假的動作 那個是我們應休的國定假日 ==台鐵企業工會發言人 吳長智== 沒有這個權力 來做這一個動作 我們很深怕 他未來被革職的情況 被記曠職的情況下 我們怎麼來去保護他 企業工會認為，招考手冊中就訂定，員工屬公務員必須配合台鐵排班調度。不過實際詢問交通部、銓敘部、勞動部等三個業管單位，對於台鐵員工在工作條件上，到底適用勞基法還是公務員服務法？三方還是沒有答案。也因為身分模糊，才埋下台鐵員工為自身權益抗爭的開端。 記者李志華 陳保羅 台北報導