地球客逍笑說

…..

Well, my husband and I were trying to pick up a tree from
IKEA last weekend. We usually go to IKEA, because they are
only $20, and they give us $20 coupon. So that means
basically it doesn't cost us anything. Luckily, good
friends of ours have truck and they needed one as well, so
we went together. My husband is such a well-prepared and
well-organized person than I am, so he insisted me to call
IKEA Richmond beforehand to make sure they still have
trees. I called them, but even before I got to talk to
real person, recorded voice told me that they sold out all
trees and there would be no shipment coming. See, it was
good that we made sure! Otherwise we would be pissed so
much. Then we call IKEA Coquitlam, they said they have
some, but by the time we got there, they all sold out as
well. So we decided not to have a tree this year. Instead,
I got some Christmas decorations in our living room, like
"Merry Christmas" banner on top of the fireplace, 6 santas
and porcelain Christmas tree on top of the fireplace,
Christmas lights on the window. I think it's pretty good
enough, don't you think? But last 2 years, we never had a
problem buying a tree from IKEA. I think it will only gets
worse.


這是住在加拿大列治文的朋友,她在2006年聖誕節前,在列治文和高貴林裡的兩家IKEA,都買不到ㄧ顆標價加幣二十元的塑膠製的聖誕樹.(還付送等值二十元的兌換票). 意思是IKEA裡的聖誕樹不夠賣,被搶買光了. 所以她只好把印有”Merry Christmas”的紅色小旗放在壁爐座上當擺飾. 加上6個聖誕瓷娃,和瓷製小聖誕樹ㄧ起裝飾在壁爐座上. 同時在窗戶上掛著彩色聖誕燈泡.
塑膠製的聖誕樹不可能Made In Sweden. 它是Made In China! 五顏六色的帶狀燈泡球,當然也是來自中國! 更多的聖誕小裝飾附件,不用講,也是中國製造!

朋友說了,二年前,去IKEA買聖誕樹. We never had a problem buying a tree from IKEA!

朋友也知道了,要從中國得到聖誕,恐怕愈來愈不容易了. 二十元ㄧ顆樹加上coupon? 恐怕會變成過去式,往日時光了!

中國ㄧ向出口大量低價位的玩具飾品等到全世界. 低價的大量勞動力吸引著全世界的外資去中國設廠投資生產. 雙邊利潤倚靠廉價的勞動成本. 勞動成本的高低起伏,影響工廠經營的脈動.

低技術性的製造加工業普遍集中在珠江三角州. 近年來,這裡的工廠逐漸招募民工困難. 民工短缺,勞動力不足,訂單接了卻缺乏勞動力來生產交貨,工廠要人只好提高工資,工資成本提高了利潤減少. 工廠撐不下去要倒閉或著機械化轉型.

這就是IKEA的聖誕樹,隱藏在幕後的為什麼吧?


2007/01/08