Mainland staff write open letter to eBay chief expressing their concerns for the future under joint venture with Tom Online
EBay, the world's largest auction website, is facing protests from its staff in China after the company announced a joint venture last month under which its mainland operation will be taken over by Hong Kong-listed Tom Online.
Ebay entered the China market by acquiring EachNet, then by far the dominant auction site in the country, in 2003.
An open letter protesting against new employment terms was sent by 'EachNet staff' to eBay chief executive Meg Whitman through a local website on December 31, 11 days after the agreement with Tom Online was announced.
'Many of us have worked very hard in these past years through the numerous changes of often inadequate leaderships in China,' the letter said. 'Four years have come and gone and we feel, at times, we have been blindly guided.'
The letter expressed staff frustrations with eBay and their concerns for future. 'Technically speaking, by choosing to form a joint venture with Tom, it is essentially closing down its eBay EachNet business,' it said.