Labor unions in Taiwan gathered in Taipei on the May 1 Labor Day for a protest with five demands for the incoming government.
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00:00 There's still 20 days till the new president and cabinet take office, and already they're
00:04 being lampooned.
00:06 At this May 1st Labor Day rally in Taipei, activists dressed like incoming president
00:10 Lai Ching-de and his pick for labor minister dance to a rap about what they say are their
00:15 unfriendly labor policies, cutting pensions and vacation days.
00:20 Labor Day protests are an annual tradition here in front of the presidential office.
00:24 But this year, things are a little different.
00:26 The Democratic Progressive Party has won a third consecutive term in charge of the presidency.
00:31 That's something that no party has managed to do since the first direct election in 1996.
00:37 These protesters want to make sure this third term won't just be more of the same.
00:49 The government has defended its record on labor rights over the past two terms.
00:53 In a Facebook post, Premier Chen Jian-ren highlighted continued raises of the minimum
00:57 wage and over eight billion U.S. dollars in appropriations for pensions and labor insurance.
01:03 But there's skepticism here on the ground.
01:05 "The government proposed to raise the minimum wage to 30,000.
01:10 But it's clear that the government hasn't done that before the government took office.
01:15 So they've only been saying that they've raised the minimum wage for eight consecutive
01:19 years.
01:20 So the 30,000 that they promised is basically a lottery ticket."
01:24 Union reps from across Taiwan, spanning fields from medicine to railway workers, have put
01:28 together five demands for the incoming government.
01:32 One is higher wages and more overtime, plus a transparent way to make sure women and men
01:36 earn the same.
01:38 Second, they want workers protected in situations like when one company buys out another.
01:43 Third, they want to make forming unions easier and, controversially, for public servants
01:47 like firefighters to be allowed unions, something not currently allowed.
01:52 Fourth is protections for retirement and pensions.
01:54 And fifth is better conditions for nurses and other medical workers, who they say are
01:58 overworked and unfairly treated.
02:01 While the speakers here are putting pressure on the incoming administration, they're also
02:05 equally unhappy with all Taiwan's major political parties.
02:09 "Last year, the three parties' candidates made many promises to our workers.
02:16 They promised to work policy, including the agreement between companies, and the retirement
02:23 insurance, and the union's headquarters.
02:27 All three parties' candidates made promises to our workers."
02:39 And with that, the mass of workers sets off on a march through downtown Taipei, from the
02:43 presidential office to the legislature and back.
02:47 For most in Taiwan, Labor Day is just another day off work.
02:50 But for the hundreds or maybe even thousands of laborers gathered here, there's a sense
02:53 that when it comes to workers' rights, there's no time for resting.
02:57 Here several hundred meters in front of the presidential office, the message of these
03:00 workers is clear.
03:01 The president may be about to change, but the demands he's going to face from workers
03:06 aren't going anywhere.
03:07 Chris Ma and John Van Triest in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.
03:10 (ding)
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