TAIPEI (The China Post/ANN) – The Taoyuan Pilots Union went on strike on Feb. 8, leaving 4,000 passengers stranded and 18 flights canceled (on the first day) after failing to reach an agreement with China Airlines.
In response to those unilateral actions, Kuomintang (KMT) legislators warned that the walkout has eroded Taiwan’s reputation and negatively impacted the quality and accountability of Taiwan’s flagship carrier.
The legislators also called on Premier Su Tseng-chang, whose confident attitude and action-driven personae are at the heart of his action, to help bring a consensus between the two parties and overcome the current deadlock.
The KMT further released a three-point statement with regards to the pilots’ strike.
To begin with, the opposition party pointed out that the pilots’ decision has not only eroded Taiwan’s reputation but deteriorated the flagship carrier’s service and accountability in the eyes of its customers.
At the same time, the ongoing strike, if not settled, could further hinder citizens’ rights to travel as well as affect the development of related industries in many ways, they said.
Citizens’ daily travels, family visits, commercial trips are clogged for the time being, and the country’s tourism industry could be affected next. Government authorities should, therefore, announce an alternative plan or issue a set of measures to actively respond to the crisis, they added.
Premier Su Tseng-chang, who recently took the position of head of the Cabinet (Executive Yuan) but decided to let the Ministry of Transportation and Communications face the crisis on its own, has failed to address the problem, the argued.
As the strike continues, rocking the promises to “respond to public views” and the same “roll-up-your-sleeves and down-to-earth attitude” that the premier gave when he tackled the African swine fever (ASF).
The public expects the premier, who is known for being confident in his own actions, to help reach a consensus through reasonable negotiations to ensure the safety of all travelers and the signature of a final agreement for between the company and its workers, they concluded.
