Government Seeks Public Comment on 2014 Holiday Schedule, Keeps Onerous Weekend Make-Ups Anyway

Almost everyone hates the current holiday schedule, and you can click here to read our previous blog to understand why. The government officials in charge of the annual holiday schedule are now soliciting public opinion via surveys on major Chinese news websites.

People can vote on three draft plans. The votes are of course non-binding, and don't expect huge changes. The planners seem to miss the most onerous part of the holiday schedule: the make-up weekends required before and after long holidays. In fact, this mini-referendum seems to be all downside, as the proposals suggest making the seven-day October 1 holiday shorter.

There is no difference in the Spring Festival/Chinese New Year holiday in all three proposed plans, which lasts seven days and includes working the weekends before and after.

The major difference applies to the National Day holiday, proposed for three days, five days or seven days, all starting from Oct 1. The last scheme requires working on a Sunday before and a Saturday after. 

Other holidays including New Year's Day (Jan 1), Tomb-Sweeping Day (April 4 or 5), May Day (May 1), Dragon Boat Festival (mid-June) and the Mid-Autumn Festival (mid- to late September) will last one day if they fall on Wednesday. If they fall on Tuesday or Thursday, the holiday will be made three days including a weekend, and if they fall on weekends, it will extend to Monday.

See the graphic above for a better view of the possible plans, and then cast your vote here on People’s Daily (in Chinese). On the calendar, green is for public holidays and make-up weekends. Fight for your right to holiday!

Image: People's Daily