China Airlines flights attendants have decided to go on strike. The strike will be the first ever held by Taiwanese flight attendants. The Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union reached the decision to hold a strike on Tuesday. Of the more than 2,500 union members who voted, 99% were in favor of a strike. The threshold for a strike is 70%.
The flight attendants plan to go on strike during the peak summer travel season, threatening to throw Taiwan’s flag carrier and largest airline into crisis. The flight attendants’ union has also decided to freeze all talks with China Airlines until the company agrees to worker’s demands about time off and new company regulations.
At the legislature on Tuesday, Deputy Transportation Minister Frank Fan said the government is speaking with the union to try to persuade it not to hold a strike.
"Currently the transportation ministry and labor ministry are negotiating with flight attendants to not strike," said Fan. "Summer is the peak season so we hope this will not impact travelers’ rights as they leave and enter the country. We will also tell China Airlines to keep flight safety and service quality as their top priorities."
China Airlines Senior Vice President Tung Hsiao-hsing says that if there is a strike, the airline will rearrange flights and planes to deal with the situation.
Meanwhile, China Airlines General Manager Chang Yu-hern says that the airline has tried to show goodwill to the union during negotiations, and that he hopes flight attendants will not go on strike. He is asking the transportation and labor ministries to help resolve the situation.