TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An estimated 2,000 workers took part in a labor protest in Taipei City Saturday (Dec. 23), three weeks ahead of presidential and legislative elections.

While promoting their demands, the activists said none of the three presidential candidates had gained their approval, CNA reported. The contenders in the Jan. 13, 2024 election are incumbent Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) of the Kuomintang (KMT), and Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).

The marchers called for an end to low wages, safeguards for pensions, improvements to long working hours, and a hike for employers’ contribution to occupational safety insurance. Protest leaders said they had submitted their demands to all three candidates, but none of their replies had satisfied them, so they would not ask their supporters to vote for any specific candidate.

The protest reportedly featured a group who had walked 22 days and 389 kilometers from south Taiwan to the capital. On Dec. 2, an estimated 3,000 protesters gathered in Kaohsiung City, while the march had also included the closing off of a bridge across the Zhuoshui River in Yunlin County.

During Saturday’s event, some protesters threw smoke bombs on Ketagalan Boulevard, the wide avenue in front of the Presidential Office Building.