Teachers Celebrate First Labor Day Holiday, Higher Education Union Calls for March to Advocate 4 Reforms
For the first time, teachers in Taiwan will observe Labor Day as a holiday this year. The Higher Education Union called for nationwide teacher participation in a May Day labor march, advocating four reforms including university democratization, protection of vulnerable labor rights, increased private school retirement and severance, and ensuring private school severance payments.
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- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 12:44
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chih-chung, Taipei, 29th) This year marks the first time teachers are observing Labor Day as a holiday. The Higher Education Union today called on teachers nationwide to participate in the May Day labor march and put forward four reform demands: university democratization, protection of vulnerable labor rights, increased private school retirement and severance, and ensuring private school severance payments.
In the past, teachers, civil servants, and other groups could not take holidays on Labor Day. Public sector and education groups have protested for many years, arguing that they are also workers but are treated differently. Some people on campus could take a holiday, while others could not, causing much inconvenience.
The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of the amendment to the "Implementation Regulations for Memorial Days and Holidays" on May 9, 2025, changing Labor Day to a national holiday. May 1st this year is the first Labor Day holiday for Taiwanese teachers. The Higher Education Union held a press conference today, calling on teachers to join the march and unite with all laborers to fight for labor rights.
Zhou Ping, chairman of the Higher Education Union, stated that teachers are legally recognized as laborers for the first time this year and can take a holiday on Labor Day. Teachers' self-identity should also be adjusted. This year is an opportune moment for a paradigm shift; teachers should recognize themselves as laborers, with their main products being knowledge transmission and research and development, and they should organize to defend their working conditions.
The Higher Education Union proposed four demands. Firstly, to implement university democratization, allowing faculty and staff to participate in the presidential selection process (not just chosen by the board of directors) and preventing presidents and high-level administrators from undermining the new faculty review mechanism.
The second demand is to protect vulnerable labor groups within campuses, such as part-time teachers, project-based teachers, and staff, to avoid unequal pay for equal work and being treated as "disposable chopsticks."
The third demand is to increase private school retirement and severance, which should at least match public schools by raising the contribution rate to 15% (currently 12% for private schools).
The fourth demand is to ensure that private school faculty and staff receive severance pay (severance benefits) when they are laid off or involuntarily leave their positions. Current regulations only mandate severance pay when a private school is designated for special counseling.
Chen Baiqian, a researcher at the Higher Education Union, said that they hope to use the opportunity of Labor Day to call on society to face the drastic changes Taiwan is experiencing due to declining birth rates and university closures, and to urge faculty and staff to join the union to collectively improve the working environment in universities. (Editor: Wu Surou) 1150429
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(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chih-chung, Taipei, 29th) This year marks the first time teachers are observing Labor Day as a holiday. The Higher Education Union today called on teachers nationwide to participate in the May Day labor march and put forward four reform demands: university democratization, protection of vulnerable labor rights, increased private school retirement and severance, and ensuring private school severance payments.
In the past, teachers, civil servants, and other groups could not take holidays on Labor Day. Public sector and education groups have protested for many years, arguing that they are also workers but are treated differently. Some people on campus could take a holiday, while others could not, causing much inconvenience.
The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of the amendment to the "Implementation Regulations for Memorial Days and Holidays" on May 9, 2025, changing Labor Day to a national holiday. May 1st this year is the first Labor Day holiday for Taiwanese teachers. The Higher Education Union held a press conference today, calling on teachers to join the march and unite with all laborers to fight for labor rights.
Zhou Ping, chairman of the Higher Education Union, stated that teachers are legally recognized as laborers for the first time this year and can take a holiday on Labor Day. Teachers' self-identity should also be adjusted. This year is an opportune moment for a paradigm shift; teachers should recognize themselves as laborers, with their main products being knowledge transmission and research and development, and they should organize to defend their working conditions.
The Higher Education Union proposed four demands. Firstly, to implement university democratization, allowing faculty and staff to participate in the presidential selection process (not just chosen by the board of directors) and preventing presidents and high-level administrators from undermining the new faculty review mechanism.
The second demand is to protect vulnerable labor groups within campuses, such as part-time teachers, project-based teachers, and staff, to avoid unequal pay for equal work and being treated as "disposable chopsticks."
The third demand is to increase private school retirement and severance, which should at least match public schools by raising the contribution rate to 15% (currently 12% for private schools).
The fourth demand is to ensure that private school faculty and staff receive severance pay (severance benefits) when they are laid off or involuntarily leave their positions. Current regulations only mandate severance pay when a private school is designated for special counseling.
Chen Baiqian, a researcher at the Higher Education Union, said that they hope to use the opportunity of Labor Day to call on society to face the drastic changes Taiwan is experiencing due to declining birth rates and university closures, and to urge faculty and staff to join the union to collectively improve the working environment in universities. (Editor: Wu Surou) 1150429
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-Hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.