Union strike at Taiwan’s Eva Air over salary dispute could impact Chinese New Year flights
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Eva Airways said it has steadily been raising salaries and has not recruited any pilots in contravention of the law.
PHOTO: REUTERS
TAIPEI – A pilots’ union on Jan 22 voted to strike at Taiwan’s Eva Airways in a dispute over salaries and working conditions, raising the prospect of industrial action that could impact flights over the crucial Chinese New Year holidays in February.
Taoyuan Union of Pilots said Eva has not raised salaries enough and has been recruiting foreign pilots to fill manpower shortages without adhering to the law. Eva said it has been raising salaries steadily and has not recruited any pilots in contravention of the law.
The union began balloting members in December about strike action, after talks with Eva broke down.
In a statement after the vote was counted, the union said pilots had voted to authorise it to launch strike action and that it expected strikes to take place around the Chinese New Year, but did not give exact dates.
The week-long Chinese New Year holiday starts on Feb 8 in Taiwan.
The airline, in a statement, expressed regret at the vote and urged the union to keep talking. Eva “will not abandon negotiations with the trade union”, it said.
The union said the strike will be announced 24 hours before it starts. It expects long-haul destinations to be most hit, but said it is willing to talk to the airline “until the last moment” to prevent the strike from taking place.
Eva said it has set up an emergency response team to respond to any strike and will announce affected flights on its website as soon as possible.
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration said it hoped both sides would consider the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday and give priority to the rights and interests of passengers, uphold good faith and communicate rationally with each other.
Eva must provide timely information to passengers, it added.
Eva’s Taipei-listed shares closed 1.8 per cent lower on Jan 22, underperforming a 0.8 per cent gain for the broader market.
Eva, best known internationally for the Hello Kitty livery on some of its jets, flies to many destinations around Asia as well as to North America, Europe and Australia. It is Taiwan’s second-largest carrier after China Airlines.
In 2019, Eva cancelled hundreds of flights during an almost month-long flight attendants’ strike – the longest-ever strike for the island’s aviation industry.
In January, Eva finalised an order for 33 Airbus aircraft, with the airline previously indicating the deal was worth up to US$10.1 billion (S$13.5 billion). REUTERS
