Labor Day Marches in Taipei and Kaohsiung Call for Comprehensive Retirement Protection System Reforms
On Labor Day, major labor marches took place concurrently in Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Labor unions estimated about 7,000 participants demanded reforms to the retirement protection system, focusing on increasing the ceiling for retirement benefits and ensuring protection for both local and migrant workers.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 18:19
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 18:32 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 19:02 (30 min after Collected)
TAIPEI (CNA) — On May Day, labor marches took place concurrently in Taipei and Kaohsiung. Labor unions estimated about 7,000 people participated, marching to demand reforms to the retirement system. The march concluded in front of the Legislative Yuan, where an 8-point demand puzzle was assembled, urging the government to mend systemic loopholes and rebuild retirement protection.
The annual May Day labor march took place today, with an expanded "Taipei-Kaohsiung linkage" scale, held simultaneously in both cities to raise the upper limit of retirement benefits and ensure protection for both local and migrant workers, urging the government to improve the labor retirement system.
The Taipei march began at 1 PM, with multiple labor unions gathering, holding "labor rights waving fans," and chanting slogans such as "Increase retirement benefits; full protection for local and migrant workers." They vigorously waved their fans to express the workers' sentiments.
This year's labor march put forward 8 major demands: increasing employers' contribution rate for the new labor pension system from 6% to 12%, removing the 45-month base cap for the old labor pension system retirement fund, increasing the insured salary grades for labor insurance and labor pension, comprehensive coverage of social insurance, inclusion of migrant workers in the new labor pension system, full allocation and return of years of service compensation for public and education retirement pensions, and a unified 15% contribution rate for both public and private school retirement pensions.
The march procession then divided into four teams, departing around 1:36 PM, marching to the front of the Legislative Yuan's Qunxian Building. The 8 major demands were written on puzzle pieces, and several broken umbrellas were placed at the scene, symbolizing the numerous loopholes in the current retirement protection system. Representatives from the three major parties—Kuomintang, Democratic Progressive Party, and Taiwan People's Party—were invited to respond publicly to the reform demands raised by the labor unions.
DPP Legislator Lin Yueh-chin stated that workers' pressure is the government's responsibility, and the ruling party must face workers' dissatisfaction. The significance behind these 8 demands lies in workers' anxiety about insufficient retirement protection. She assured that they would strive to supervise and work with the party caucus to achieve the goals through dialogue with various sectors regarding the demands raised by the labor march.
Taiwan People's Party Legislative Yuan Caucus Convenor Chen Ching-lung, Deputy Convenor Wang An-hsisiang, and Legislator Chiu Hui-ju attended as representatives. Wang An-hsiang stated that the Taiwan People's Party has put forward a concrete plan for the new labor pension system, which will gradually increase the employer's contribution rate to 8%, and then gradually to 12%. Regarding the severance pay in the new labor pension system, they also support removing the 6-month cap, increasing the number of maternity leave days, extending the implementation period of parental leave without pay, and implementing migrant workers' rights.
Kuomintang was represented by Legislators Niu Hsu-ting, Lin Pei-hsiang, and Lo Ting-wei. Lin Pei-hsiang said that this session would hold public hearings on the new and old labor pension systems to prevent the government from evading the issue. Niu Hsu-ting added that labor rights are not just about reducing working hours; there is still much to research in depth. He personally supports comprehensive coverage of labor insurance and reviewing the severance pay cap for the new labor pension system, and public hearings will certainly be convened to thoroughly review retirement rights.
At the end of the event, labor groups collectively assembled an 8-point demand map, symbolizing the mending of systemic loopholes and the rebuilding of retirement protection, urging the government and the Legislative Yuan to promote reforms as soon as possible to respond to the expectations of workers across Taiwan for retirement protection.
Regarding the demands of the May Day Action Alliance, the Ministry of Labor stated that it attaches great importance to the demands raised by labor groups and will continue to collect opinions from various sectors to seek consensus. It will also facilitate dialogue and communication among stakeholders on the relevant demands from the perspective of workers and carefully evaluate how to handle them.
In addition, regarding demands related to improving migrant worker labor rights, the Ministry of Labor stated that it will strengthen the implementation of basic rights protection for migrant workers and gradually align with international requirements to prohibit forced labor and promote fair recruitment to reduce trade risks and create a supply chain that is more trusted internationally.
The Ministry of Labor emphasized that it will continue to work hard to create "dignified labor and friendly workplaces" for workers, so that every hardworking worker can have a more stable job and life. (Edited by Chen Ching-fang) 1150501
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast publicly, or transmitted publicly and utilized without authorization.
The annual May Day labor march took place today, with an expanded "Taipei-Kaohsiung linkage" scale, held simultaneously in both cities to raise the upper limit of retirement benefits and ensure protection for both local and migrant workers, urging the government to improve the labor retirement system.
The Taipei march began at 1 PM, with multiple labor unions gathering, holding "labor rights waving fans," and chanting slogans such as "Increase retirement benefits; full protection for local and migrant workers." They vigorously waved their fans to express the workers' sentiments.
This year's labor march put forward 8 major demands: increasing employers' contribution rate for the new labor pension system from 6% to 12%, removing the 45-month base cap for the old labor pension system retirement fund, increasing the insured salary grades for labor insurance and labor pension, comprehensive coverage of social insurance, inclusion of migrant workers in the new labor pension system, full allocation and return of years of service compensation for public and education retirement pensions, and a unified 15% contribution rate for both public and private school retirement pensions.
The march procession then divided into four teams, departing around 1:36 PM, marching to the front of the Legislative Yuan's Qunxian Building. The 8 major demands were written on puzzle pieces, and several broken umbrellas were placed at the scene, symbolizing the numerous loopholes in the current retirement protection system. Representatives from the three major parties—Kuomintang, Democratic Progressive Party, and Taiwan People's Party—were invited to respond publicly to the reform demands raised by the labor unions.
DPP Legislator Lin Yueh-chin stated that workers' pressure is the government's responsibility, and the ruling party must face workers' dissatisfaction. The significance behind these 8 demands lies in workers' anxiety about insufficient retirement protection. She assured that they would strive to supervise and work with the party caucus to achieve the goals through dialogue with various sectors regarding the demands raised by the labor march.
Taiwan People's Party Legislative Yuan Caucus Convenor Chen Ching-lung, Deputy Convenor Wang An-hsisiang, and Legislator Chiu Hui-ju attended as representatives. Wang An-hsiang stated that the Taiwan People's Party has put forward a concrete plan for the new labor pension system, which will gradually increase the employer's contribution rate to 8%, and then gradually to 12%. Regarding the severance pay in the new labor pension system, they also support removing the 6-month cap, increasing the number of maternity leave days, extending the implementation period of parental leave without pay, and implementing migrant workers' rights.
Kuomintang was represented by Legislators Niu Hsu-ting, Lin Pei-hsiang, and Lo Ting-wei. Lin Pei-hsiang said that this session would hold public hearings on the new and old labor pension systems to prevent the government from evading the issue. Niu Hsu-ting added that labor rights are not just about reducing working hours; there is still much to research in depth. He personally supports comprehensive coverage of labor insurance and reviewing the severance pay cap for the new labor pension system, and public hearings will certainly be convened to thoroughly review retirement rights.
At the end of the event, labor groups collectively assembled an 8-point demand map, symbolizing the mending of systemic loopholes and the rebuilding of retirement protection, urging the government and the Legislative Yuan to promote reforms as soon as possible to respond to the expectations of workers across Taiwan for retirement protection.
Regarding the demands of the May Day Action Alliance, the Ministry of Labor stated that it attaches great importance to the demands raised by labor groups and will continue to collect opinions from various sectors to seek consensus. It will also facilitate dialogue and communication among stakeholders on the relevant demands from the perspective of workers and carefully evaluate how to handle them.
In addition, regarding demands related to improving migrant worker labor rights, the Ministry of Labor stated that it will strengthen the implementation of basic rights protection for migrant workers and gradually align with international requirements to prohibit forced labor and promote fair recruitment to reduce trade risks and create a supply chain that is more trusted internationally.
The Ministry of Labor emphasized that it will continue to work hard to create "dignified labor and friendly workplaces" for workers, so that every hardworking worker can have a more stable job and life. (Edited by Chen Ching-fang) 1150501
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast publicly, or transmitted publicly and utilized without authorization.