The Taoyuan Union of Pilots yesterday canceled a news conference, at which it was to say when it would announce a strike.
Further information regarding the union’s stance will not be announced until after negotiations with China Airlines (CAL) and EVA Air scheduled for tomorrow, the union said.
The union, formed by pilots from the nation’s two largest airlines, earlier this month secured the right to organize a strike after 83 percent of its members voted in favor of such action.
“The Taoyuan Department of Labor, which is arbitrating the dispute, ruled at meetings on Thursday and Friday last week that the union and the two airlines would continue negotiations tomorrow. As such, we decided to cancel the news conference yesterday and will host one after the talks tomorrow,” the union said in a statement.
It has been attending arbitration meetings organized by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Labor and the department, the union said.
However, the airlines have been stalling and even tried to revoke the union’s right to organize strikes via legal action, it said.
“The union will seriously consider whether further talks are necessary if the meeting tomorrow fails again to lead to any positive result,” the union said. “We thank all the government agencies for their efforts and hope the airlines would change their attitudes before the negotiations so progress can be made.”
The union has met with airline representatives twice after the vote in favor of the strike, but little progress was made, it said.
So far, the two parties have not reach a consensus on any item on the agenda, the union said.
During negotiations, CAL pressured pilots to sign a consent form asking them to work during any strike, which is an example of how the airline engaged in unfair tactics to suppress its members, it said.
Although CAL said that asking pilots to sign the form was not unfair labor practice, the Taoyuan Department of Labor asked it to stop the practice, saying it could interfere with the negotiations, the union said.
CAL sought to prevent the union from mounting a strike by filing an injunction, which was turned down by the Taoyuan District Court on Thursday last week.
CAL said it has not avoided any opportunity to engage in rational negotiations and respects the department’s decisions.
It would not comment further on the negotiations before any conclusion was reached, CAL said.
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