《TAIPEI TIMES》 Minister urges EVA, workers to focus on mending ties

By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung （林佳龍） yesterday urged EVA Airways workers and management to focus on restoring good relations rather than legal issues after the end of a strike organized by flight attendants.

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Speaking with reporters after inspecting a barrier-free taxi service in Taichung, Lin said that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications respects the legal rights of the airline’s workers and management.

“We hope that both sides can enforce the terms of the collective agreement, in which management pledged to not penalize flight attendants who went on strike. We also hope that both parties would not let law override reason and emotions. Instead, they should reverse that order with a view toward restoring the ties of friendship,” he said.

The strike exposed many problems, making it necessary for the government to review the regulations, Lin said, adding that the ministry is open to suggestions from the public.

“As the public expects laws to be changed following the strike, we will review and amend them to ensure that the mechanism for organizing labor actions is more sound and complete, particularly strikes organized by airline workers. Not only should airline workers give advance notice of a strike, they should also inform the public when a strike will begin and end,” he said.

The airline on Monday said that it was still seeking compensation of at least NT$578 million （US$18.5 million） from key members of the Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union for financial losses caused by the strike, adding that it has no plans to drop the lawsuit.

Separately yesterday, the Civil Aeronautics Administration （CAA） said that it received multiple telephone calls in the morning from travelers saying that they were afraid their onboard meals might be contaminated, citing an EVA flight attendant and pilot reportedly threatening to offer “special meals” to pilots and others who opposed the strike.

One caller said that he opposed the strike and made comments about it online, and expressed concerns that he would be served a tampered meal if flight attendants recognize him.

He also criticized the CAA for not intervening in the matter and launching an investigation.

The CAA said that while it understands how airline workers must have felt after the strike, it was inappropriate of them to make such comments.

EVA has been asked to provide a plan on communicating with its workers after the strike and assisting them in dealing with their emotions, the CAA said, adding that it would monitor the situation.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES