More than 100 Evergreen Airline Services Corporation ground crew took the day on Jan. 1 in response to their announced bonus of one month of salary, which is lower than the bonuses being issued by other Evergreen Group companies. Meanwhile, a ground crew from Taoyuan International Airport Services may go on strike during the Lunar New Year holidays.
Upon hearing about the EVA Air ground crew protest, Mr. Hsu and his family made sure to arrive early at Taoyuan International Airport for their flight back to Singapore. In the end, they were still disappointed to learn that their flight had been delayed.
Mr. Hsu, Singapore traveler: “I'm afraid our luggage won't make it there, our flight schedule is still unconfirmed. I've always been flying EVA Air, and what's happening now is giving me a bad impression.”
Ms. Yang, Hong Kong traveler: “I got delayed for three hours yesterday, so I'm a bit scared now.”
While only around 30 ground crew members continued taking the day off on the 2nd, EVA Air remained understaffed at the airport. Employees from Evergreen Airline Services Corp. (EGAS) decided to launch a spontaneous protest since they were discontent over the comparatively low year-end bonuses they would receive from the company after having worked hard throughout the year handling the increase in cargo amid the pandemic.
EGAS staff: “Employees of EVA Airways Corp. will receive three months of salary as a bonus and a raise of NT$3,000 in salary. We only get one month and a raise of just NT$2,000. Of course, we feel like it's unfair. EVA Air is making money because we handle all their loads of cargo.”
The ground crew from EGAS takes up about 30 percent of ground handling at the Taoyuan International Airport, while ground crew from Taoyuan International Airport Services (TIAS) takes up about 70 percent. TIAS refused to support EGAS this time around and they are also contemplating holding a strike during the Lunar New Year holidays. If that happens, 150 to 180 flights would get delayed daily.
Tai Chun-cheng, Staff, Taoyuan International Airport Services: “We always have to fight hard every year for our bonuses. We're like beggars; we work so hard with no complaints. People above don't realize how much work we do.”
Chiu Yu-cheng, Board member, Taoyuan International Airport Services: “We are not taking this opportunity to blackmail our company. It's just that we've been taking it all in for too long.”
The EVA Air ground crew protest has caused a big delay in many flights while affecting thousands of travelers. Minister of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Wang Kwo-tsai is asking EVA Group to please communicate and take care of their employees so that airport traffic can go back to normal.
胸前揹著寶寶，確認行李數量。許先生一家人，連假最後一天準備飛回新加坡。雖然已經知道元旦長榮航勤員工，依法休假不出勤，也提早來櫃台報到，但班機仍受到影響延誤。來送機的家人，心情很無奈。
民眾許先生說：「我們的行李，我怕我們到時候趕不上，因為他飛機到現在都沒有行程。我一向都搭長榮，我現在對長榮有點打折扣。」
香港遊客楊小姐也表示：「昨天延誤3個小時，所以我有點害怕。」
雖然2日長榮航勤的員工，請假人數只剩下30多位，但人力調度依舊很吃緊。員工不滿疫情期間貨運量暴增，負責的幾乎都是航勤，結果年終獎金卻僅有一個月，遠低於集團其他公司。
長榮航勤組員指出：「航空領3個月，然後調薪3000；然後我們只有一個月，調薪2000。那當然大家會不舒服，因為幾乎賺錢是靠我們航勤在上下貨。」
長榮航勤占了桃機公司大約3成工作量，而桃園航勤則占約7成。現在長榮航勤喊集體休假，桃園航勤除了拒絕支援，也醞釀春節罷工，估計一天可能影響150到180架航班。
桃勤公司員工戴春誠批評：「每年的獎金一直以來都要抗爭才有，跟乞丐一樣。我們任勞任怨在做工，你們上面都不知道我們辛苦。」
桃園航勤公司企業工會理事邱禹誠表示：「我們並不是說叫做，趁這個時候在勒索資方，只是因為時間真的太久了。」
對於長榮航勤風波，造成航班大亂，交通部長王國材強調，請長榮集團妥善照顧員工，讓紛爭早日落幕。