在台灣，低技術性的勞動生產大多由東南亞移工包辦，從基礎建設工程到家庭幫傭，從日間悶熱的工廠中反覆操作同樣的機械到夜晚在獨居老人的身旁隨時待命，他們幾乎包辦所有的勞動時間，但我們的社會卻不願意與其共享經濟發展的成果，甚至分享一同生活的空間。

車站等交通樞紐通常是移工們假日聚集的地方，因為交通的便利以及開闊的公共空間而成為移工們相約出遊或是休憩的地方，自從台北車站建築內部翻新之後，車站的公共區域便少了許多供人休息的座椅，取而代之的是商店街。每逢假日，來自四方的移工匯聚於此，或站、或坐、或躺，遍地開花。來台移工最大宗的工作包含建築工人，工廠作業員，台灣人的家傭等，台北車站大廳對於我們而言是開放的公共空間，但對於外籍僱傭卻是無比舒適的家屋（畢竟在僱主家中是一刻不得閒），攤開紙板、衣物或(著)隨性席地而坐，便能引來三五好友，談工作、談家鄉、談愛情，印尼的、菲律賓的、泰國的，來自四方的移工讓車站成了港口，站內停泊的是異鄉夢。

 

日前，台北車站以有礙觀瞻及妨礙旅客動線等理由，規定民眾禁止於大廳地板躺臥或飲食，這個規定祭出，首當其衝的便是只有假日才能出來舒活筋骨，約會交際的移工朋友，尤其是家傭。對僱主而言，家屋是私人領域，但對於家傭而言，那可是一刻不得閒的工作場域。如果我們都應該有相同的居住權力及使用公共空間的權力，當我們無法提供足夠和合適的公共空間給與為我們服務的勞工休憩時，我們要將她/他們驅逐何處？倘若車站大廳為公園綠地，我們是否會有不一樣的思考？

 

是使用者欠缺公德？是大廳缺了草皮？還是我們缺乏對於公共空間的理解也欠缺對公共空間使用的想像？

 

Taiwan imported massive foreign labour from South East Asia for works which are less skillful or repeating, including of infrastructure construction, house-keeping maid. Their works ranging from repetitive manual actions in hot and humid factories, to taking care of olderies in the night. They work day and night. However, local society doesn’t appreciate their works, even doesn’t want to share the living space with them.

 

Train station is the place where foreign workers gather in holidays, with its accessibility and open space, it’s a good meeting point and resting place. However, since the interior renovation of Taipei Main Station building, authority removed the benches for passengers to rest in the public area. Instead, souvenir shops and restaurant came in. Every weekend foreign workers gather here, without benches, they just stand, sit, lay back, reach out their bodies on the ground. Most of foreign workers are construction labour, worker in factories and house-keeping maid. Taipei Main Staion is a public space for local people, yet it’s an ultimate cozy house for foreign workers (since they have endless work in employer’s house). Spreading out the cardboard, clothes or simply being seated themselves, workers will gahter naturally. Chatting over job, homeland, romance, foriegn workers from Indonesia, Philippines, Thai and other countries turn the train staion into a harbour, where their dreams of homeland can temporarily moor.

 

Recently, Taipei Main Station has prohibited passengers to sit, lay back or to eat on the ground of lobby since they considered the bahaviors above are eyesore and causing inconvenience to others. Ever since the announcement, foreign workers lost the only place where they can relax and have social life. Especially for foreign workers who do house-keeping works, for their employers, house is private area, but it’s a busy working place for them. If we are given the same rights to reside, to use the public space, when we’re not able to provide enough comfortable public space for people who work for us, where can we ask them to go? If Train Staion lobby were meadow in the park, would people change their minds?

Do we need to acclaim that is being immoral, do we need meadow in the station, or we are lack of understanding of what is public space, and need more imagination towards public space?