TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Travel Agent Association of R.O.C., Taiwan, on Tuesday (Jan. 23) urged related aviation unions to issue a one-month notice before going on strike to mitigate social repercussions.
The association warned that another strike action could devastate the aviation industry again.
This call comes as pilots from EVA Air, in collaboration with the Taoyuan Union of Pilots (TUP), finalized strike votes, securing the right to strike a day earlier.
The planned strike is set for the Lunar New Year period.
The pilots aim to safeguard their rights through the strike. However, the Travel Agent Association stressed that such action would significantly affect consumers and travel agencies.
The Lunar New Year is a peak travel period, with consumers typically having itinerary plans and purchasing tickets two months ahead. As such, they said the pilot strike would undoubtedly impact consumers.
They criticized past unplanned strikes carried out by China Airlines' cabin crew, pilots, and EVA Air's cabin crew, accusing them of disregarding consumer rights.
The association emphasized the adoption of international, pre-strike notice processes, allowing consumers, the government, and stakeholders sufficient time for negotiations and consensus-building. This approach, they noted, would also benefit the labor side.