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Labour Struggles

Protecting pregnant contractual employees, demanding Law Chi Kwong to close legal loopholes

2019-03-19

It is clearly stated in the labour legislation Hong Kong that, once a pregnant employee has given notice, dismissal of the said employee is unreasonable and unlawful. According the labour legislation, employers unreasonably and unlawfully dismissing pregnant employers may be subjected to compensation up to $150000. Legislation in Hong Kong, however, does not specifically equate contract termination with contract expiration without renewal. Given such, employees whose contract expired without renewal cannot recover their losses by filing claims in accordance to the labour legislation in Hong Kong. Whilst extending statutory maternity leave to 14 weeks, it is the responsibility of the government to simultaneously close all loopholes in the labour legislation that left contractual employees unprotected. Failing to close these loopholes will give employers full power in discontinuing the renewal of contracts of pregnant employers, in turn making women childbearing age as contractual employees vulnerable in the workplace.

Surviving is Not Living: Defending the Dignity of Workers with Living Wage

2019-03-11

Living wage refers to the ability of a worker to provide a decent standard of living to his/her family, including proper and nutritional food, reasonable living spaces, protecting basic education needs and medical expenses. Although the minimum wage was implemented in 2011, the minimum wage rates in Hong Kong proved to be insufficient in supporting the livelihood of individuals. In response, The Oxfam published the Hong Kong Living Wage Report. Based on a full-time employee working 26 full-days per month, 8 hours per day, the report calculates the living wage of Hong Kong to $54.7

Stories of nine care-workers from Zhanjiang exposed - Exploitation of “supplementary slaves”

2018-08-01

Exploitations of workers at elderly care homes have created much anger last June.  Nine workers from Zhanjiang, China, have been working in elderly care homes under the worst conditions such as illegal overdue salaries, working and living in the same elderly care home, and round-the-clock working hours to serve the elderly who have lost temporal perception.   The nine care-workers from Zhanjiang who worked at the Wing Kwong Care Home for the Elderly have had enough years of exploitation and decided to fight back.

Janitor Strike in Hong Kong Reveals Loopholes in Government Subcontract Policy

2018-01-16

In Hong Kong, more than two dozen subcontracted janitors from a public housing estate went on strike on December 27, 2017.  After several rounds of negotiation, the employees and the employers finally broke the deadlock and brought the ten-day strike to an end, when a compensation package was put on table on January 5, 2018.  Although the dispute has come to an agreeable conclusion to both parties, the incident reveals many loopholes and bad practices within the Government outsourcing policy.

In dark times for Hong Kong, hope lies in the people

2017-09-28

On 28 September 2014, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong to call for democratic reforms in the city. The 79-day protest occupied key districts of central Hong Kong and became known as the Umbrella Movement.  

Luke Ching with Security Guards: Empathy Inspires Unlimited Possibilities for Labour Rights

2017-03-13

Luke Ching started to work with the security guards with his campaign “please give security guards chairs”. As an artist, he met and causally chatted with security guards at the Arts Museum everyday and became aware that a chair, for many security guards, gives them a sense of dignity. “Once I am grasped by this feeling, I can’t get rid of it”, he described. He then realized that not only security guards at the Arts Museum, but also in government buildings, cashiers in shops and many others, work without chairs. For Ching, art is to inspire feelings of others and his campaign, is indeed a form of art.

HKCTU 25th Anniversary Review: Marching to the Light

2015-09-13

As we are entering into the 25th anniversary of the HKCTU, Hong Kong is also arriving at a crossroad of unknown.  While moving forward in darkness, it is important that look into our previous experiences in Labour Movement to shed light on a brighter future.

MUSIC THAT SINGS THE VOICE OF THE WORKERS INTERVIEW WITH UNION ORGANIZER STANLEY HO

2015-07-20

“I hope that this is a sequel of the Umbrella Movement.  Because the pursuit of democracy is a form of social concern, and the voice of the workers also needs social concern.  As the occupation movement has drawn to a close, I turned to music to draw social concern for workers rights”

Say No to Exploitation Defending Collective Agreement in Cathay’s Labour Dispute

2015-07-14

The Flight Attendant Union (FAU) demonstrated what is meant by “Solidarity is Strength”.  To protest against benefits cuts, the FAU launched industrial actions from May 19th.  Through gradual escalation of actions, the company was prompted to negotiation with the union on May 29th.  The president of FAU, Ms. Dora Lai, shared her views on the strategies and effects of the actions.

Canto-Pop Sings Hong Kong’s Working-Class Blues

2015-06-20

HONG KONG — A labor group’s cramped office in a nondescript building in working-class Kowloon is not where one would expect a producer to be working on his latest Canto-pop release, a musical genre known for syrupy ballads, upbeat hits and photogenic stars. But “WildFires,” a compilation of songs about Hong Kong’s blue-collar workers, is not a typical album.