Labor Groups Urge National Holiday on May 1|民間團體:軍公教.醫護 五一勞動節也要休假

International Labor Day is around the corner, but in Taiwan, it isn't a national holiday, and only 8.7 million laborers can get the day off under the law. Civic groups say those who fit into a broad definition of employees, including government functionaries and medical personnel, should also be able to get the day off and urge the government to revise laws to set a nationwide standard.


Every year on May 1, International Labor Day, labor groups stage protests around different themes to make their voices heard and promote better working conditions. International Labor Day isn't a national holiday in Taiwan. Under the law, there are only 8.7 million laborers who get the day off. Military personnel, civil servants, and public school teachers do not meet the definition of laborer even though they need to be employed by a third party and receive salaries. Meanwhile, doctors are also excluded from the Labor Standards Act. This means they all have to work on May 1.

It appears that only those to whom the Labor Standards Act apply are called laborers. Does that mean those who are excluded from the Labor Standards Act, such as government functionaries or teachers, are not laborers, that we are not laborers? Those who are employed as doctors, nannies, private nurses, and chauffeurs, are also excluded from the Labor Standards Act. Are they not laborers then?

These circumstances also lead to some strange situations. Teachers have to work on May 1, but kindergarten teaching staff get May 1 off because they fit the definition of "laborer" as stipulated in the Labor Standards Act. This means there is no one to take care of the children of the teachers who have to work. The National Federation of Teachers Unions says International Labor Day is a national holiday in 85 countries. It urges the Ministry of the Interior to revise the "Implementation Regulations on Memorial Days and Holidays" to give everyone the day off.

I really support this.

I agree. (Why?) Because they work hard too.

Many office workers say civil servants and teachers are employees just like laborers and therefore they are entitled to get May 1 off. The MOI says the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration has already ratified the number of national holidays for this year at 115 to 116. It adds a consensus must first be reached before discussing whether to give everyone International Labor Day off.