WALKOUT: Evergreen Group should not make workers’ lives difficult because the airline failed to make a profit and should settle the dispute 《TAIPEI TIMES》 Labor action could affect lunar, 228 holiday travel - 焦點 - - 趣味新聞網

Luggage waits to be loaded onto a baggage carousel at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times

WALKOUT: Evergreen Group should not make workers’ lives difficult because the airline failed to make a profit, and should settle the dispute, the transport minister said

By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

People planning to travel overseas during the Lunar New Year and 228 Memorial Day holidays could face delays or flight cancelations as ground crew members of the nation’s two largest airlines said they might hold labor walkouts if wage and bonus demands are not met, while their union is considering strike action.

On Sunday, about 150 ground crew employees of Evergreen Airline Services Co （EGAS）, a subsidiary of the Evergreen Group, took leave simultaneously to protest a year-end bonus of one month’s salary, an amount also distributed to Evergreen Sky Catering workers.

Evergreen Marine Corp employees reportedly received a year-end bonus of as much as 52 months of salary, while EVA Airways and Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp workers received a three-month salary bonus.

EGAS employees said their one-month bonus amounted to unequal treatment.

EVA Airways yesterday said the walkout caused some flight delays, but it had managed to recover service by yesterday.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration （CAA） on Sunday said the New Year’ Day walkout as of 7pm on Sunday affected 35 inbound flights and 44 outbound flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Outbound passengers were delayed 124 minutes on average, and inbound travelers 119 minutes, CAA said.

About 40 cargo and baggage handlers continued the mass-leave protest yesterday, as management and administrative personnel helped move luggage at the airport. Among those pitching in were EGAS chairman Chen Yo-yu （陳有玉） and president Lin Da-yuan （林大淵）, the airline said in a statement.

As of 12pm yesterday, EVA Air flight delays averaged 30 minutes among the scheduled 25 departures and 10 arrivals at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the airline said.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai （王國材） yesterday said he has been monitoring the situation and staying in contact with EVA Airways chairman Steve Lin （林寶水） and CAA Director-General Lin Kuo-hsien （林國顯）.

“I asked [EVA Airways chairman Steve Lin] to handle this labor dispute from the level of the Evergreen Group. They cannot make the lives of EGAS employees difficult during the Lunar New Year holiday simply because the company failed to generate profit,” Wang said.

Some EGAS employees said they are considering a similar walkout over the Lunar New Year holiday and 228 Memorial Day long weekend as well.

The union representing workers at Taoyuan International Airport Services （TIAS） yesterday said that imanagement should not intervene in labor disputes by replacing workers.

The TIAS Workers’ Union presented several proposals in a meeting with management on Saturday, including granting employees a 4 percent raise and increasing the nighttime subsidy to NT$75 per hour.

An agreement was not reached.

Union deputy chairman Tang Wen-hua （湯文華） said that the proposals are to be introduced again when it meets with management tomorrow.

The union plans to stage a protest on Friday at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and use the event to hold a vote on whether to hold an organized labor strike, Tang said.

“Should more than 50 percent of our members vote ‘yes,’ we might strike during the Lunar New Year holiday,” he said.

Management said in a statement that it is open to negotiation after hearing the union’s proposals.

The company continues to experience financial losses, it said, adding that it hopes to reach an agreement with the union tomorrow.

新聞來源： TAIPEI TIMES

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