Cheung Mo
2nd May 2007, 11:39
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail....0019&con_type=1 (http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=43405&sid=13390019&con_type=1)
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam- kuen has come under intense pressure from labor groups pressing for a minimum wage law as soon as possible.
Tsang's call for a voluntary wage protection movement came under fire Monday during a pre-Labor Day reception at a Tsim Sha Tsui hotel organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, considered largely a pro- Beijing camp.
In his reception speech, FTU chairman Wong Kwok-kin said the wage protection movement, set up after Tsang's policy address in October last year, is largely ineffective.
"With only about 900 enterprises joining the movement, that figure is far below expectations and the movement is clearly ineffective. We strongly urge the government to establish a minimum wage," Wong said as Tsang looked on stoically.
Wong said grassroots workers are losing bargaining power with more job outsourcing by both the government and businesses, further reducing job security and leading to wider instability.
He cited government figures from last year which showed 333,000 workers, equal to 10.2 percent of the working population, earned less than HK$5,000 a month, while 570,000 laborers - 17.6 percent of the workforce - worked more than 60 hours a week.
Executive Councillor and FTU president Cheng Yiu-tong had to calm the hostile environment by twice offering greetings to Tsang during his three rounds of toasts.
Tsang did not speak to reporters on his way out of the hotel.
At another pre-Labor Day reception, organized by Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Tsang reiterated the government's plan to carry out mid-term and full-term reviews of the wage protection movement in October this year and next year.
He stressed while the jobless rate is at its lowest level in eight years, the government would not treat the situation lightly.
"We will create 23,000 new jobs through various infrastructure projects, including those with the Tamar site [for a new government headquarters complex] and the East Asian Games," he said.
Confederation of Trade Union lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan and Lau Chin- shek both handed petitions to Tsang, stating the wage movement is ineffective in safeguarding grassroots workers.
Radical legislator Leung Kwok- hung, or "Long Hair," of the League of Social Democrats, had to be escorted out of the building by security guards after chanting slogans during Tsang's speech.
Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Federation of Trade Union has shown that most cleaners and security guards remain underpaid.
Of the 680 surveyed over the past two months, 93 percent of security guards on eight-hour shifts and 84 percent of cleaners interviewed were paid 5 to 7.4 percent below average market levels, on figures derived from the latest government statistics.
More than 92 percent of respondents said they would not tolerate low salaries if the situation persisted, while 53 percent said if there was no improvement, they would take industrial action, go on strike or refuse to take on extra work.
Nearly 40 percent said that they would quit.
It's gotten to the point where you're more likely to find socialist ideas presented at a Republican Party primary than in Hong Kong's pro-Beijing camp.
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam- kuen has come under intense pressure from labor groups pressing for a minimum wage law as soon as possible.
Tsang's call for a voluntary wage protection movement came under fire Monday during a pre-Labor Day reception at a Tsim Sha Tsui hotel organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, considered largely a pro- Beijing camp.
In his reception speech, FTU chairman Wong Kwok-kin said the wage protection movement, set up after Tsang's policy address in October last year, is largely ineffective.
"With only about 900 enterprises joining the movement, that figure is far below expectations and the movement is clearly ineffective. We strongly urge the government to establish a minimum wage," Wong said as Tsang looked on stoically.
Wong said grassroots workers are losing bargaining power with more job outsourcing by both the government and businesses, further reducing job security and leading to wider instability.
He cited government figures from last year which showed 333,000 workers, equal to 10.2 percent of the working population, earned less than HK$5,000 a month, while 570,000 laborers - 17.6 percent of the workforce - worked more than 60 hours a week.
Executive Councillor and FTU president Cheng Yiu-tong had to calm the hostile environment by twice offering greetings to Tsang during his three rounds of toasts.
Tsang did not speak to reporters on his way out of the hotel.
At another pre-Labor Day reception, organized by Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Tsang reiterated the government's plan to carry out mid-term and full-term reviews of the wage protection movement in October this year and next year.
He stressed while the jobless rate is at its lowest level in eight years, the government would not treat the situation lightly.
"We will create 23,000 new jobs through various infrastructure projects, including those with the Tamar site [for a new government headquarters complex] and the East Asian Games," he said.
Confederation of Trade Union lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan and Lau Chin- shek both handed petitions to Tsang, stating the wage movement is ineffective in safeguarding grassroots workers.
Radical legislator Leung Kwok- hung, or "Long Hair," of the League of Social Democrats, had to be escorted out of the building by security guards after chanting slogans during Tsang's speech.
Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Federation of Trade Union has shown that most cleaners and security guards remain underpaid.
Of the 680 surveyed over the past two months, 93 percent of security guards on eight-hour shifts and 84 percent of cleaners interviewed were paid 5 to 7.4 percent below average market levels, on figures derived from the latest government statistics.
More than 92 percent of respondents said they would not tolerate low salaries if the situation persisted, while 53 percent said if there was no improvement, they would take industrial action, go on strike or refuse to take on extra work.
Nearly 40 percent said that they would quit.
It's gotten to the point where you're more likely to find socialist ideas presented at a Republican Party primary than in Hong Kong's pro-Beijing camp.