HK Dockers Threaten to Strike Over Wages
Aiswarya Lakshmi
Monday, April 20, 2015
The Hong Kong Dockers Union has threatened industrial action - that may involve a strike - if operators continue to ignore their demand for a 8.5-percent wage increase this year.
The union is an affiliate of the Confederation of Trade Unions and made their demands known at the start of the month. The union seeks dialogue with contractors if they want to avoid a repeat of the strike that rocked the Kwai Tsing container terminals for 40 days in 2013.
Carlos Hung Chun-ngai, director general of the Union of Hong Kong Dockers, said that if the contractors and terminal operators do not respond to their demands by Thursday next week, his union would “not rule out any actions to make ends meet.”
But there's been no response from operators. An organising secretary with the Union, Wong Yu-loy, said they're seeking talks with management first but will step up their action if there's no response.
The 2013 strike ended when dockworkers working at Hongkong International Terminals agreed on a 9.8% pay increase. Last year the dockworkers received a 6% basic salary increase and a 4.2% pay rise based on performance.