Business & Economy

Pilots vote to strike at Taiwan’s EVA Air

Taipei, Jan 22 (EFE).- A group of pilots on Monday voted to strike against Taiwanese carrier EVA Air, which could affect flights to the United States, Canada and Europe during the Lunar New Year holidays, state media reported.

Association of Taoyuan Union of Pilots pilots voted 900-10 in favor of the strike following the failure of mediation with the Eva Air management, CNA news agency reported.

The pilots belonging to the union are demanding a 20 percent wage hike, an increase in their international allowance to $6 an hour and an end to the “illegal” recruitment of foreign pilots.

In a press conference on Monday, Association of Taoyuan Union of Pilots president Lee Hsin-yen said she did not rule out a strike during the Lunar New Year (between Feb. 8-14) but added that the exact actions would be planned on Thursday

The TPU president pointed out that among the participating pilots are some belonging to the long-haul fleet, which could affect flights to the United States, Canada and Europe, she said.

Among the main destinations that could be hit are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Chicago and Houston in the United States, Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, and Paris, London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Munich and Milan in Europe, according to the union’s president.

Li also hoped that EVA Air would negotiate with the union on an equal footing and come up with a substantive solution before the start of the strike.

Meanwhile, EVA Air – the biggest carrier on the island, along with China Airlines – expressed its rejection of the strike.

The airlines said in a statement that since the beginning of negotiations in 2022 it had adjusted the base salary of pilots by more than 20 percent and that the hiring of foreign pilots has been carried out in accordance with the law.

“EVA Air will not give up negotiations with the union,” said the company, which added that it had already established an “emergency response team” to ensure the operation of major routes.

EVA Air shares closed down 1.93 percent on the Taiwan Stock Exchange on Monday. EFE

jacb/pd

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