Union protests, urges EVA Air to deliver on sick leave policy reforms

Taipei, Oct. 26 (CNA) Around 30 to 40 members of the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union (TFAU) protested in Taipei on Sunday morning, urging Taiwan's EVA Airways to make a concrete commitment not to penalize employees in their performance evaluations for taking sick leave.

"Life is priceless, sick leave is not a crime," chanted the protesters, who included TFAU chair Steven Chang (張書元), deputy chair Chao Chieh-huan (趙婕歡), secretary-general Chou Sheng-kai (周聖凱), and board director Lin Yu-chia (林昱嘉).

The protest took place alongside the annual EVA Air Marathon, which was kicked off at the plaza in front of the Presidential Office at around 5 a.m.

Holding white roses, union members briefly entered the racecourse after the runners set off. They were stopped by the police, but still managed to get on stage to display their placards spelling out their demands.

The protest was prompted by the recent death of an EVA Air flight attendant on Oct. 10.

The 34-year-old flight attendant, surnamed Sun (孫) fell ill while working a round-trip flight between Taipei and Milan in late September and later died in Taiwan. She had worked despite being ill, reportedly because of the company's strict sick leave policy.

At the protest on Sunday, Chou stated that although the Ministry of Labor had earlier issued a press release indicating it had reached an understanding with domestic airlines that sick leave would not affect performance reviews, no concrete actions or policy changes have been implemented.

As a result, he said, the union plans to hold another protest outside the ministry on Thursday.

Chang, who is himself a flight attendant at another major Taiwanese carrier, China Airlines, said that flight attendants work tens of thousands of feet in the air, while facing time zone differences and various occupational risks.

"They are often the ones caring for others, yet when they themselves need care, they are afraid to take sick leave," he said, adding that this fear is a consequence of EVA Air's long-standing systemic problems.

Chang voiced his support on behalf of flight attendants from all domestic airlines for the "White Rose Movement," emphasizing that it was not about seeking privileges, but getting respect and understanding.

Echoing Chang, Lin said that after the recent death of the flight attendant, many colleagues shared on social media their fear of taking leave. She added that strong public support had reminded them that "taking leave should not be something to be punished for."

Union's demands

During the protest, the union called on EVA Air President Sun Chia-ming (孫嘉明) to formally respond to its demands, which include ensuring that sick leave, annual leave, and natural disaster leave do not affect performance evaluations.

The union also urged the airline to abolish the penalty system that deducts additional points for taking leave on weekends, national holidays, or peak travel days.

It further demanded that days taken as annual leave be treated the same as days in attendance under the work schedule, without any negative impact on performance reviews or other evaluations, and well as shift bidding and shift swaps.

In addition, the union said EVA Air should not restrict or prohibit shift swaps when a flight attendant takes leave, explaining that such arrangements help employees balance their personal lives with airline operations, and should not be viewed as a privilege.

EVA Air said on Friday that it will revise its job performance review system by the end of 2025 to "allow a margin for sick leave," though it did not specify what measures would be implemented.

The carrier made the statement following an internal investigation into the death of the flight attendant.