China Eastern Airlines pilots accept verdict on contract dispute

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-12 19:35

The company then made a countercharge against the pilots, seeking 100 million yuan in compensation for their unilateral termination of the contracts.

Three of the pilots returned to work after the first trial. The other pilots insisted to fight for the lawsuit.

Zhang Qihuai, a legal expert with the China University of Political Science and Law, said he had told the pilots in a legal consultation that the compensation of 8 million yuan would be acceptable, since the amount was about what the company paid for training the pilots.

"Most of state-owned carriers in China sign tenure contracts with pilots to prevent them from breaking away from the company," Zhang said.

Company officials in Wuhan and Shanghai declined to comment on the pilots' announcement on Friday.

CEA has been involved in several controversies this year, in which the company's pilots "reversed course" by landing at their destinations and taking off without letting passengers disembark.

These "return flights" were suspected of being protests over pay and working conditions.

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