Many EVA Air flights have been delayed due to the ground crew protesting their low year-end bonus. Evergreen Airline Services Corp. employees refused to work on Sunday and Monday, which affected around 80 flights on the first day alone.
EVA Air's ground crew says their year-end bonus was only one month's wages, while other Evergreen Group companies received anywhere from three to 45 months' salary as their bonus. These other companies include EVA Airways Corp. and Evergreen Marine Corp.
Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) called EVA Airways chairman Lin Bao-shui (林寶水) on Sunday to discuss solutions, in order to avoid further disrupting travel plans. Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang (張善政) says the government is encouraging the management and employees to cooperate with each other, but that authorities may intervene to help if necessary.
The airline's service head Chen Yu-yu (陳有玉) says he's working on getting employees to come back to work. Although fewer employees skipped work on Monday, Chen had to help the ground crew transport luggage due to understaffing.
Some EVA Air service employees say if the corporation doesn't respond to their demands properly, they may continue to strike throughout the upcoming Lunar New Year and other holidays.