Police, Firefighters Want Working Hours Limit 輪班制基層警消再籲 工時上限應入法

On June 13, grassroots groups of police officers and firefighters convened a press conference to ask the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration to set an upper limit on working hours and listen to their suggestions.

Firefighters always do their best to put out fires. Police officers are usually deployed to keep demonstrations orderly. Police officers and firefighters often have to work overtime due to the requirements of their jobs. Constitutional Interpretation No. 785 ruled that a review of relevant health-related provisions on personnel with special work characteristics was necessary, including an upper limit on the number of working hours. Although the legislature passed the third reading of amendments to related laws at the end of May, it authorized agencies to set the upper limit for working hours. Now, grassroots police officers and firefighters are calling on the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration to set a uniform standard.

Huang Sheng, Member Rep, Nat'l Assoc. for Firefighters' Rights: “We're all people. We all have families. We all have limits on our bodies. Why are agencies allowed to unilaterally make the decision on our maximum number of working hours? They may set different upper limits. The Directorate-General of Personnel Administration or a central government authority should set a uniform standard on the maximum number of working hours worked by an individual, by a government functionary.”

On June 8, the DGPA invited public officials to discuss health-related plans, but did not invite representatives from government functionary groups to participate, so they did not hear the voices of grassroots functionaries.

Hsiao Jen-hao, Executive Director, Taiwan Police Union: “If you don't listen to the opinions of those at the grassroots level, there will be issues with the principles no matter how you amend them. For example, the National Police Agency is already trying out post-amendment principles, such as stipulating an upper limit for monthly hours or rest time intervals. Even if you plan when people are going to be on duty, the reality is that you can still recall people on vacation, resulting in unknown extra working hours.”

The DGPA responded that it will continue reviewing the work and rest system and a reduction in the number of working hours. It hopes to achieve a system that protects health and business operations and that will be accepted by workers. The National Fire Agency is working on a two-shift system for 2022 with three-year cycles. The objective is to add one rest day per month. The DGPA said it will communicate with all parties to listen to opinions.

不管是火災現場消防人員全力救火，或是陳情抗議場合警員站在第一線維護秩序。警消人員常常由於勤務需求超時工作，大法官釋字第785號認定相關業務性質特殊機關人員，服勤時數合理上限等健康權相關規定需要檢討，立法院雖然5月底三讀通過《公務員服務法》、《公務人員保障法》，但工時部分授權機關自行訂定上限，有基層警消人員要求人事總處訂出統一規範。

消防員工作權益促進會會員代表黃升表示：「我們都是人 我們都有自己的家庭，我們都有自己身體的極限，為什麼我們的工時上限就可能會由機關自己訂定，訂出一個不同的工時上限，這應該是由人事總處有一個中央的機構統一去訂定，身為一個人、一個公務員，我們的最高的工時上限。」

他們也質疑人事總處6月8日邀集公務機關討論健康權相關方案時，沒有邀集各公務員團體參與，恐怕聽不到基層的聲音。

警察工作權益推動協會常務理事蕭仁豪指出：「如果你沒有傾聽基層的意見的話，你不管怎麼修，這些原則都會有問題，像是警政署現在已經開始在試行的修法之後原則，例如說月工時上限，或者是休息時間間隔，就算你勤務這樣規劃，但是實際上在（休假），還是把他直接召回，就等於直接有黑數工時的狀況。」

人事總處對此回應表示，將會持續檢討勤休制度減少工時過長情形，希望制定兼顧健康權與機關實務運作，及同仁可接受的勤休制度。像是消防人員部分，消防署111年以兩班制的工作方式為目標，未來每3年為一個循環，目標每月增加休假1日。未來人事總處與各機關也將持續聽取基層同仁意見。