TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As a walk-out protest by Evergreen Airline Services Corp. (EGAS) employees over comparatively low year-end bonuses entered its third day on Tuesday (Jan. 3), there are concerns that they, along with China Airlines ground crews could halt work over the Lunar New Year.
On Sunday (Jan. 1), EGAS workers walked-out to protest that their year-end bonus was only equivalent to one month's salary, while employees of other companies from Evergreen Group received far higher bonuses. Employees of EVA Airways Corp. are to receive three months' salary for their year-end bonus, while employees of Evergreen Marine Corp. are to receive a year-end bonus equaling 45 months' salary.
On Monday (Jan. 2), department heads not only tried to convince the employees to come back to work, but also called in about 80 temporary workers. In addition, EGAS chairman Chen Yo-yu (陳有玉), president Lin Da-yuan (林大淵), and other executives went on the front lines at 6 a.m. to help move luggage, clear cabins, and push wheelchairs.
EGAS said 38 passenger and cargo planes were serviced before noon on Monday. It claimed that only a few flights departing from Taoyuan Airport had been slightly delayed due to weather, late arrivals, and slowed ground handling operations. It said delays ranged between 15 to 55 minutes and the average flight delay was about 30 minutes, but no flights were canceled.
However, EVA Air consultant Chou Sheng-kai (周聖凱) was cited by China Times as saying EGAS does not have a labor union and the employees have taken mass-leave, so "the future situation is unpredictable." Chou said management and the workers are at a stalemate, and that the same situation may occur during the Lunar New Year and 228 Memorial Day holidays.
Some employees have complained that EGAS has the funds to pay temporary workers NT$2,400 (US$78.25) per day, which is twice the normal salary, but refuses to boost full-time workers' year-end bonuses. EGAS responded that the temporary workers are only being hired to fill the manpower shortage and their wages do not include labor and health insurance, pension allocation, or other benefits, and thus it was an unfair comparison.
EGAS stressed it is making the salaries and benefits of full-time employees the top priority. However, some EGAS workers said they are weighing another walkout during the Lunar New Year holiday and 228 Memorial Day weekend.
The union representing workers at Taoyuan International Airport Services (TIAS), which is a subsidiary of China Airlines and comprises 70% of ground crew members at the airport, also appears ready to launch a strike. Labor-management negotiations have reportedly broken down over the union's six major demands, which include a 4% salary increase and raising the nighttime subsidy to NT$75 per hour.
The union is not ruling out holding a vote on whether to launch a strike after a scheduled protest at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on Jan. 6.