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Unions seek clarity
in Next Media deal
OPEN-DOOR: The employees of the four media
outlets to be sold say they have been ignored by the group¡¦s owner and potential
buyers, and called for inclusion in the deal
Staff writer, with CNA
Labor unions representing workers at Next Media Group¡¦s businesses in Taiwan
yesterday requested that the acquisition of the media outlets be made
transparent to ease growing anxiety among employees.
The owner and prospective buyers have ignored worker demands and given lukewarm
responses to questions raised by the unions, according to a statement released
jointly by the labor unions of the Next Media units up for sale ¡X the Sharp
Daily, Next TV, the Apple Daily and Next Magazine.
In addition to a transparent purchase process, the labor unions also called for
explanations and disclosures of any issues related to employees¡¦ rights and
interests.
They also urged Next Media Group executive director Cassian Cheung (±i¹ÅÁn) and the
prospective buyers to start negotiations with the unions immediately and sign
agreements that ensure editorial freedom and independence, regardless of the
timetable for finalizing the sale.
Formosa Plastics Group chairman William Wong (¤ý¤å²W), ChinaTrust Charity
Foundation chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (¶d¥ò½Ì) and Want Want China Times Group
chairman Tsai Eng-meng (½²l©ú) were expected to sign a contract on Saturday to buy
the Next Media businesses for NT$17.5 billion (US$601.2 million), but the
signing was postponed. Cheung said the delay was due to certain unsettled issues
that required further discussion.
No timetable has been set for when the deal will be concluded, but Cheung said
the delay did not indicate that any members of the three-member consortium are
pulling out of the deal. Koo, Wong and Tsai were reportedly set to take stakes
of 34 percent, 34 percent and 32 percent respectively in the media group, an
Apple Daily report said yesterday.
However, the Financial Supervisory Commission recently asked Koo to limit his
share of the deal to 20 percent, based on the principle of keeping the financial
sector and media separate.
It also forbade him to lead and manage the business, the report said, resulting
in a renegotiation of the stakes of the three parties.
Koo¡¦s family controls ChinaTrust Financial Holding Co and he was once vice
chairman of the company.
SEE DEAL ON PAGE 13
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