The ongoing struggle over the amendment to the Labor Standards Act, specifically the abolition of the “seven-day holiday,” has become a symbol of the DPP’s perceived betrayal of the working class.
During the campaign, the DPP successfully positioned itself as the ally of laborers and the youth, promising to reduce working hours and protect holidays. However, once in power, the administration faced intense pressure from business interests. The resulting “one fixed day off and one flexible rest day” policy, paired with the removal of seven national holidays, felt like a slap in the face to many who had voted for “change.”
The scene of labor activists clashing with police outside the Legislative Yuan is a stark contrast to the DPP’s “progressive” image. It highlights a recurring theme in Taiwanese politics: the ease of making populist promises versus the difficulty (or unwillingness) of challenging entrenched economic structures once in power.
For the younger generation, this isn’t just about seven days of vacation; it’s about whether the “reform” they were promised was merely a marketing slogan. The “Seven-Day Holiday” controversy may well be the moment the DPP lost the unconditional trust of the very youth who propelled them to victory.