NEGOTIATIONS? The union said it has not set a date for the strike as it is still open to talks with the nation’s two major airlines on improving work conditions for members
Taipei Times
Date: Aug 08, 2018
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
The Taoyuan Union of Pilots yesterday said it has secured the vote to organize a labor
Members of the Taoyuan Union of Pilots, together with allied labor groups, at a meeting at the end of June announce their plan to go on strike. Photo: Lee Ya-wen, Taipei Times
strike, adding that it would announce on Aug. 20 when the strike would take place if China Airlines (CAL, 中華航空) and EVA Airways (EVA,長榮航空) continue to refuse to negotiate with it.
The union held a vote from July 16 to Monday, with 1,212 of its 1,426 members participating. A total of 1,187 members voted to go on strike: 731 China Airlines pilots, 454 EVA Airways pilots and 2 from other airlines.
“We hope that this [vote for a strike] would encourage the airlines to improve the work environment for their employees, such as making a definite promise that pilots would not have to risk their lives by flying on typhoon days,” union chairwoman Lee Hsin-yen (李信燕) said. “We are open for negotiations with the airlines before the end of this month.”
The union will resort to a strike if the two carriers continue to ignore and slander the pilots, as well as disregard the safety of passengers, she added. [FULL STORY]
