Taiwan delivery drivers protest planned Uber Eats-Foodpanda merger
台灣外送員擔心 UberEats 與 Food Panda 合併
| Around 200 delivery drivers say merger would harm workers and consumer rights
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Food delivery drivers protested Uber Eats’ plan to acquire Foodpanda outside the Fair Trade Commission in Taipei on Wednesday (Dec. 4). The National Delivery Industrial Union led the gathering of around 200 delivery drivers and presented “three noes and one demand” related to the merger, per CNA. The union said Uber Eats should not be allowed to obtain Foodpanda with conditions, there should be no leniency, and no monopoly should be created. It also asked for industry-specific laws to protect delivery driver and consumer rights. The union said Uber Eats would obtain an unprecedented food delivery market share if the merger passed. It asked the Fair Trade Commission to review the case thoroughly and said it should be rejected based on past merger applications. The Fair Trade Act allows mergers between companies when the benefits outweigh the disadvantages of less market competition. If the commission approves a merger under these circumstances conditions may be imposed on the company. National Delivery Industrial Union Chair Chen Yu-an (陳昱安) told Taiwan News on Thursday the “no leniency” demand relates to these points. He said the union has calculated that Uber Eats would have 80 to 90% of the food delivery market if it acquired Foodpanda, which exceeds the commission’s merger standards. Chen noted that according to the government think tank MIC, over 70% of Taiwanese use food delivery apps. He said around 17 million consumers would be affected if the merger passed, which the union believes is clear evidence the economic benefits would not outweigh the impact on consumers. The union also expressed concerns about the amount of worker and consumer data Uber Eats would acquire if the merger passed. It noted that merchants and delivery drivers provide food delivery apps with GPS coordinates, cash flow records, and residential addresses. The union noted the labor ministry also opposed the merger citing the need for further discussions with unions. Uber Eats Taiwan General Manager Li Chia-ying (李佳穎) responded to the protest by saying Uber Eats will ensure the merger brings better service to consumers, merchants, and delivery drivers. Lee said Uber Eats is willing to propose binding commitments to the Fair Trade Commission to bring “win-win” results to Taiwan. |
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| Jono Thomson, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter | |
| 2024-12-05 |
