An Open Letter from a China Airlines Flight Attendant to Chairman He Nuanhuan: “Dear Kind-hearted You, Let’s Talk”
Written in the aftermath of the 2016 China Airlines labor dispute
Dear Chairman He Nuanhuan
I write this letter to you not as a labor activist or union representative, but as an ordinary flight attendant who has witnessed the breakdown of trust between employees and management. I am one of thousands who worked for China Airlines with dedication, and who now feels the sting of betrayal.
The Seven Promises
When the strike ended, seven specific promises were made to us. They assured us that these commitments would restore dignity and stability to our workplace. Today, I must tell you that five of those seven promises remain unfulfilled. This is not merely about contract terms or compensation—it is about the value of your word.
The Symbol of Disrespect
Do you remember the incident with our company sign? During the tensions, that sign was damaged—an egg was thrown at it. Management and some media figures focused heavily on this incident, using it as evidence of how uncivil our movement had become.
But Chairman He, what about the promises thrown away? What about the commitments tossed aside like that egg? Where is the media coverage of broken pledges? Where is the discussion of damage done to employee morale and trust?
The egg that hit our sign has been cleaned away. But the wounds of broken promises remain raw in the hearts of our employees.
A Plea for Family Reconciliation
Company Chairman, I want to appeal to you not as an adversary but as someone speaking within what should be a family. That is what we always told ourselves—China Airlines is a family. The chairman is like a father figure to the organization.
If this truly were a family, would you make promises to your children and then break them? Would you tell your children one thing and do another? Would you forget the commitment you made in a moment when they had nowhere else to turn?
Choosing Peace Over Legal Warfare
Our union representatives are preparing for legal battles. They speak of lawsuits, regulatory complaints, and formal grievances. They say we must compel management to honor these commitments through the courts. And I understand this impulse—we feel betrayed.
But I am writing to ask: Is there not a better way?
What We Need
We do not need your defeat. We do not need courtroom victories that will poison your heart and our workplace for years to come. What we need is simple:
We need you to keep your word.
We need to return to being a family that trusts each other, even after disagreement. We need to work for a company whose leadership keeps its promises. We need management and employees to look each other in the eye and know that commitments made will be honored.
The Cost of Continued Confrontation
If you choose to continue resisting these commitments through legal maneuvoring and delays, you will win. Your lawyers are skilled. You have resources. You will probably prevail in court.
But what will your victory cost?
You will have employees who clock in but whose hearts have left the airline. You will have lost the genuine loyalty and enthusiasm that come from mutual respect. You will have created a workforce that stays only because they must, not because they choose to.
More than that, you will have broken something that is harder to rebuild than any financial loss: the faith of loyal people in their organization’s integrity.
An Appeal to Your Decency
Chairman He, I believe in you because I see in you someone who intended to keep those promises. The man I have heard about in company lore is a philanthropist, someone known for kindness and vision. I do not believe you are deliberately cruel or dishonest.
So I ask: Were these promises made during a moment of pressure, then forgotten in the aftermath of crisis? Have busy schedules and competing concerns made you lose sight of the commitment you made to the people who work for you?
If so, I simply ask you to remember. Look back at what you pledged. Consider the gap between those words and your current actions.
The Way Forward
There is still time to choose reconciliation. You can:
- Review the seven original promises with fresh eyes
- Take direct responsibility for fulfilling them
- Communicate honestly with employees about any constraints
- Work with reasonable representatives to close the gaps
This path would not only honor your commitments—it would demonstrate to your entire workforce that you are a leader of integrity who stands by his word.
A Personal Note
I worked hard for this airline. I represented it with pride when I wore my uniform. When I spoke to passengers, I felt genuine connection to our company’s mission. That love for the organization has not disappeared—but it has been wounded.
Many of my colleagues feel the same way. We could be your company’s greatest asset—employees who are proud of their workplace and eager to contribute. But that will only happen if you rebuild the bridge of trust by honoring the promises you made.
In Closing
Chairman He, I write this in hope. I hope because I believe you are capable of doing the right thing. Our union will pursue legal remedies if necessary—that is their role and their duty.
But before that path is taken, I wanted you to hear from one of your employees, directly and personally, one last appeal for you to choose the path of integrity and reconciliation.
We could still be a family. That choice is yours.
With respect and hope,
A China Airlines Flight Attendant
This letter represents the voice of countless employees who seek not victory over management, but the simple honor of working for an organization that keeps its word.