Union votes to strike at Taiwan's Eva Air in salary, conditions dispute

A pilots union on Monday voted to strike at Taiwan's Eva Airways in a dispute over salaries and working conditions, raising the prospect of industrial action that could impact flights over the crucial Lunar New Year holidays next month. Taoyuan Union of Pilots says Eva has not raised salaries enough and has been recruiting foreign pilots to fill manpower shortages without adhering to the law. Eva says it has steadily been raising salaries and has not recruited any pilots in contravention of the law. The union began balloting members on strike action last month after talks with Eva broke down. In a statement after the vote was counted, the union said pilots had voted to authorise it to launch strike action and it expected strikes to take place around the Lunar New Year, but did not give exact dates. The week-long Lunar New Year holiday starts in Taiwan on Feb. 8.<br/>Eva, in a statement, expressed regret at the vote and called on the union to keep talking. Eva "will not abandon negotiations with the trade union", it added.<br/>