Taiwan Railways Union Considers Strike Vote as Junior Manager Pay Raise Stalls
The Taiwan Railways Corporation's union is considering a strike vote due to unfulfilled pay raises for junior managers and the failure to implement birthday leave. A protest at the Ministry of Transportation is planned for June, potentially leading to the first strike since the company's corporatization.
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- 📰 Published: May 16, 2026 at 19:38
- 🔍 Collected: May 16, 2026 at 20:01 (23 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 16, 2026 at 20:26 (24 min after Collected)
(CNA, Taipei, 16th) As the pay adjustment for junior managers has not yet been implemented and birthday leave could not be enacted, the Taiwan Railway Union is planning to protest at the Ministry of Transportation in June and is considering launching a strike vote, not ruling out the first strike since corporatization. Taiwan Railways Corporation (TRA) said that communication has never been interrupted and that it will continue to negotiate to seek consensus.
Chen Shih-chieh, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Railway Union, told the media that the adjustment of junior manager allowances, originally scheduled for implementation in January this year, is still with the Executive Yuan. Furthermore, although both labor and management had reached a consensus on birthday leave in the collective agreement, which was expected to be implemented this year, it has not yet been implemented because the procedures were not completed and it was not submitted to the TRA's board of directors and the Ministry of Transportation.
Regarding personnel, Chen Shih-chieh pointed out that after TRA's corporatization, a dual-track system was adopted, dividing employees into "transferred personnel" with civil servant status and "employed personnel" without civil servant status. The latter can receive a maximum of 4.4 months of bonus for an 'A' grade performance review, while the former can only receive a maximum of 2.5 months of performance and year-end bonuses. Other bonuses still require approval from the Executive Yuan, creating a pay gap. The union hopes for a fairer plan, but TRA has yet to propose a concrete one.
Chen Shih-chieh stated that because 14 items of labor dispute mediation failed, the union recently held an extraordinary general meeting of representatives and resolved to mobilize its 15 branches across Taiwan. It plans to protest at the Ministry of Transportation on June 9 or another selected date, and will also consider holding a strike vote and setting up a committee to plan the schedule. Since a strike requires the approval of more than half of the members in a vote before it can be legally announced, based on the current approximately 15,000 members, nearly 8,000 affirmative votes would be needed to launch a strike.
TRA stated via a message that for the 14 issues raised by the union, including birthday leave and pay raises for junior managers, it is currently conducting substantive discussions with the union through the labor-management negotiation mechanism, and communication has never been interrupted.
TRA pointed out that the company will adhere to the principle of good-faith negotiation, actively promote various employee benefits, and seek consensus, hoping to balance employee rights with the company's sustainable operation, and to prioritize maintaining the riding rights of the general public and the stability of public transport services. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150516
Chen Shih-chieh, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Railway Union, told the media that the adjustment of junior manager allowances, originally scheduled for implementation in January this year, is still with the Executive Yuan. Furthermore, although both labor and management had reached a consensus on birthday leave in the collective agreement, which was expected to be implemented this year, it has not yet been implemented because the procedures were not completed and it was not submitted to the TRA's board of directors and the Ministry of Transportation.
Regarding personnel, Chen Shih-chieh pointed out that after TRA's corporatization, a dual-track system was adopted, dividing employees into "transferred personnel" with civil servant status and "employed personnel" without civil servant status. The latter can receive a maximum of 4.4 months of bonus for an 'A' grade performance review, while the former can only receive a maximum of 2.5 months of performance and year-end bonuses. Other bonuses still require approval from the Executive Yuan, creating a pay gap. The union hopes for a fairer plan, but TRA has yet to propose a concrete one.
Chen Shih-chieh stated that because 14 items of labor dispute mediation failed, the union recently held an extraordinary general meeting of representatives and resolved to mobilize its 15 branches across Taiwan. It plans to protest at the Ministry of Transportation on June 9 or another selected date, and will also consider holding a strike vote and setting up a committee to plan the schedule. Since a strike requires the approval of more than half of the members in a vote before it can be legally announced, based on the current approximately 15,000 members, nearly 8,000 affirmative votes would be needed to launch a strike.
TRA stated via a message that for the 14 issues raised by the union, including birthday leave and pay raises for junior managers, it is currently conducting substantive discussions with the union through the labor-management negotiation mechanism, and communication has never been interrupted.
TRA pointed out that the company will adhere to the principle of good-faith negotiation, actively promote various employee benefits, and seek consensus, hoping to balance employee rights with the company's sustainable operation, and to prioritize maintaining the riding rights of the general public and the stability of public transport services. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150516