Some progress has been made in negotiations between China Airlines (CAL), EVA Airways and their respective pilots since labor authorities intervened in a dispute to avoid a pilot strike, the parties involved said yesterday.
Separate meetings between each airline and its pilots mediated by the Taoyuan Department of Labor lasted into the night on Friday and reviewed work hours, pay and the carriers’ management style, and the negotiators made some progress, according to the department.
CAL pilots and management “gained focus” on several issues, but no consensus was reached on the EVA side, the department said in a statement.
The first round of government-led negotiations was a good beginning for both sides, because at least the carriers and the pilot union were willing to resolve differences “in a rational manner and showing goodwill,” it said.
Pilots Union Taoyuan executive director and CAL pilot Chen Hsiang-ling (陳祥麟) said that participants in the CAL meeting were able discuss on how flight data should be collected and used to evaluate pilots’ performance fairly.
However, no agreement was reached on that topic, and there was no discussion of the pilot welfare issues raised by CAL and EVA pilots, Chen said.
Pilots from the two airlines have threatened to strike to increase their rest time and bonuses, and gain greater autonomy in flight operations.
Still, both sides agreed to hold a second round of negotiations on Thursday for EVA and Friday for CAL.
CAL and EVA pilots in the union on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike and the union said that it would announce a strike date on Aug. 20 if the country’s two major airlines do not offer their pilots better working conditions.
About 99 percent of CAL pilots and 97 percent of EVA Air pilots who cast ballots voted to strike in the wake of unsuccessful negotiations with management, union tallies showed.
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