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SERVICES PACT: Trade
pact will damage laundry sector: union
By Huang Chieh-liang / Staff reporter
Kaohsiung City Laundry and Cloth Dyeing Union president Liu Yi-teh (劉懿德) called
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) a liar for saying that the government would not
allow Chinese workers to work in Taiwan when the cross-strait service trade
agreement becomes effective and that Taiwanese workers would not be affected.
Liu was referring to the trade agreement Taiwan and China signed in Shanghai on
June 21 that would open service sectors on both sides to further cross-strait
exchanges.
“Ma apparently does not know that the laundry sector is already suffering. Many
laundry stores have gone out of business as a result of the recession,” Liu
said, adding that allowing Chinese investment would only make the situation
worse.
Under the pact, 64 Taiwanese industries will be open to Chinese investment,
while China will open up 80 industries to Taiwan.
Liu said Ma was being authoritarian-minded and that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
lawmakers only care about the party rather than the public.
“The government not only implements policies that damage the people’s rights,
but also ignores voices of opposition,” he said.
Tsou Ching-wen (鄒靜文), secretary of the union, said the service pact would have a
huge impact on Taiwan’s laundry sector, which has already been hit by the
recession, as well as competition from corporate laundry stores.
She accused the government of damaging the industry further by allowing Chinese
investment.
Liu said most laundry stores in Taiwan are family-run coin-laundry stores, and
are convenient, inexpensive and popular among college students.
Liu said the laundry market is already full, and allowing Chinese investment to
compete with Taiwanese businesses will only make the situation worse.
Liu added that working in the laundry sector is not easy, so it is hard to find
young people willing to work in the industry.
To cut hiring costs, many laundry stores are operated by the owner and the
owner’s spouse, and Liu said he could not believe that the government is going
to destroy their dreams and future.
“The government never talked to us before deciding to open up to Chinese
investment,” Liu said, criticizing the government for not listening to the
people and making decisions unilaterally.
“Don’t forget the people are the boss,” Liu said, urging opposition lawmakers to
insist on opposing the pact, as well as to host public hearings outside Taipei
to learn just how upset people are.
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