Striking Tsing Yi traders call for ‘genuine dialogue’ with landlord Link Reit and ask for Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung to intervene
Protest involving more than 50 wet market stallholders enters fourth day and chairman of merchant association is not ruling out taking objections to Admiralty
A group of Tsing Yi wet market traders, striking out of fear of rent rises and possible eviction, are calling on Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to intervene, while appealing to the landlord to hold a “genuine” dialogue with them.
Over 50 Cheung Fat Market merchants, all tenants of property investment trust Link Reit, have been striking since Monday to protest against their landlord’s decision to outsource management of the market to Uni-China (Market) Management, saying this will cause an “unfair” increase in the rent and inevitably drive them out of business.
The leader of the strike warned the action may escalate if there is no genuine dialogue in the next few days.
“We have no way to complain. We have tried Legco,” said Li Kam-yuen, chairman of the Tsing Yi Cheung Fat Estate Merchant Association, which represents 130 stalls striking in the market.
“Link Reit’s outsourcing ... is an issue for all Hongkongers. Link Reit has markets all over Hong Kong and if the government doesn’t intervene, then all 18 districts in Hong Kong are affected.
“Outsourcing only means [groceries] would be more expensive. [Uni-China] has to pay rent to Link Reit and it also has to take a cut for itself.”
Li, who has been a meat trader for more than 20 years in the market, said he would not rule out taking the strike to the next step by protesting peacefully at the government’s headquarters in Admiralty.