00:00These government employees say the system they work in leaves them exposed to the whims of their bosses
00:05and that it's time for higher-ups to do something about it.
00:08Public sector workers from firefighters and police to legal clerks and most railway workers
00:13are governed by separate rules from ordinary workers.
00:16And they say this can lead to problems, as the rules give employers leeway on matters like sick leave,
00:21even for those who follow the procedures for claiming it.
00:30Then there are also matters like full overtime pay in a system where it's officially counted by the full hour, not by the minute.
00:41A new program to address this issue didn't at first go as workers hoped.
01:00One of the biggest issues, though, is the workplace safety situation.
01:12Government employees are not covered under standard workplace safety laws.
01:16And while there have been some changes to give firefighters in particular protections,
01:20there are concerns the system still isn't transparent enough,
01:23and calls to get the same legal protections other workers enjoy.
01:26Public servants who feel they've been wronged
01:55or put into unsafe situations at work do have legal options.
01:59They can file a lawsuit.
02:00But just getting to that stage can take a while,
02:02starting with an internal review in their department.
02:05You can file a lawsuit.
02:06But before filing a lawsuit, you have to file admission appeals or a complaint
02:14through the agency or the commission that you work for.
02:19You have to file, like, the appeals before filing a lawsuit through the courts.
02:25Still, the public workers gathered here today say that some of their peers,
02:29such as teachers and public sector nurses,
02:31are now covered by the standard health and safety law,
02:34and hope the rest will follow soon.
02:36Devin Tsai, Yisen Chen, and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
02:40Devin Tsai, Yisen Chen, and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
Comments