Chunghwa Express could launch strike before LNY: Union

The union chairman of Chunghwa Express Co. (CHEX) said the delivery organization might launch a strike before the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday over salary disputes, after vote on whether to do so passed on Saturday.

CHEX, whose main business operation is focused on the delivery of checks and paperwork to Taiwan's financial institutions, is a subsidiary of state-run Chunghwa Post.

A strike by employees would mean that the allocation of funds between banks in Taiwan could be heavily affected.

The union chairman, Chen Hung-chuen (???), told CNA that a vote to launch a strike passed with 83 percent approval on Saturday.

Chen explained that a disagreement had broken out with the company regarding year-end bonuses, which was linked to the union having secured more pay for its members last July.

Following two years of negotiations, CHEX employees launched a strike last July after the union and the company failed to come to an agreement over a pay raise.

The union said the July strike resulted in CHEX employees receiving a NT$5,000 (US$165.05) monthly pay bump.

However, the union accused CHEX of deciding to deduct the raise from employees' annual bonuses this year, leading to CHEX employees only receiving the equivalent of a month's salary for their year-end bonus, losing between approximately NT$30,000 to NT$50,000 per person.

Chen said the union was demanding an annual monthly base-pay raise of NT$800, while senior employees should be guaranteed more.

Additionally, employees should be promised year-end bonuses equal to at least 1.5 months of their salary.

The union plans to demonstrate outside of the Executive Yuan as early as Jan. 16 if the government fails to mediate the situation, with the possibility of a strike before the Lunar New Year holiday, Chen said. The holiday begins on Jan. 20.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel