The government has suspended class and work in seven municipalities across Taiwan on Sept. 30 due to the typhoon. The Taipei 101 has announced that it will close its doors for the day, whereas most other department stores are open as usual. On the morning of Sept. 30, union representatives from different industries congregated outside the Legislative Yuan to call on the government to pass the draft bill that allow employees to have off-days when natural disasters strike.


Union representatives from different industries in Taiwan gathered outside the Legislative Yuan on Monday morning to call on all political parties to speed up their discussion and pass the draft bill that allows employees to have off-days during natural disasters instead of being forced to work in dangerous conditions. According to a survey conducted by the Retail Merchandise Labour Union of Taipei, more than 90 percent of those who work at the counters in department stores are frequently asked to work on typhoon days. The survey also found that some employee that comes in late or fails to appear at the job can be subject to fines of up to NT$10,000.

How can (the department stores) inform the public that that they'd resume regular hours during typhoon season while also reminding the customers to make preparations for the typhoon? Isn't this self-contradicting?

The Ministry of Labor has stressed on a number of occasions that current laws forbid employers to fine or punish employees who refuse to work on typhoon days. However, the unions said these laws have no binding power at all.

The officials at the Legislative Yuan rushed through a labor law revision two years ago. Why can't they pass a law that would be critical in ensuring the well-being and safety of the public?

The union said that, at the end of December 2017, all seven versions of the draft bill for allowing off-days during natural disasters have cleared the initial reviews and are awaiting for discussions among officials from different parties. The union has condemned the Ministry of Labor for delaying the bill and called on the officials to listen to the public's needs.



高喊口號，手持標語，來自全台數十個產業工會代表，呼籲立法院各黨團儘速協商，並完成「防災假」二、三讀程序，不要讓勞工在天災期間、被強迫上班。因為根據專櫃銷售工會調查發現，超過九成的百貨專櫃人員，被雇主要求於風災時出勤，若遲到或空櫃，可能會被罰款數千元到萬元不等。

婦女新知基金會主任 周于萱表示：「他為什麼可以，就是這麼地輕易的就說，我們今天繼續正常營業，然後提醒大家，各位顧客，各位消費者，請大家記得要做好防颱準備，這件事情不是很矛盾的嗎？」

工會表示，雖然勞動部一再強調，現行的「天然災害發生事業單位勞工出勤管理及工資給付要點」，已載明勞工因天災未能出勤，雇主不得視為曠職等條文，但實際上、卻不具任何強制力，如同虛設。

北市產業總工會理事長 鄭雅慧表示：「你們立法院在兩年前，那麼緊急的，急迫的通過一個勞基法修惡，為什麼有關於人民生命的災防(防災)假，不能儘速通過。」

工會強調，2017年12月底，「防災假」七個版本已通過衛環委員會初審，現在正等待黨團協商，工會強烈譴責勞動部，應順應民意，支持朝野立委提案，並配合協商，不要一再推託、阻擋「防災假」立法。