After a record-breaking 40-day strike and protests, hundreds of dockers employed by contractors of port operator Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT) finally negotiated a 9.8% pay rise and improved working conditions.
The strike, which began at the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals on 28 March, saw around 530 workers—representing around two-thirds of the dockers HIT employed through contractors—join at its peak. The deadlock was broken when four contractors—Everbest Port Services, Pui Kee Stevedore, Lem Wing Transportation and Comcheung Human Resources—pledged to write the pay increase into staff contracts. They also agreed to improve working conditions, allowing dockers to stop work for meals and/or toilet breaks whenever they wanted and to improve safety with the help of HIT.
Approximately 80% of the dockers voted to accept the offer, despite unanimously voting against it two days prior to the agreement—originally insisting on a double-digit increase of around 20%. Commenting on the agreement, Organising Secretary for the Union of Hong Kong Dockers, Wong Yu Loy said, "For the last 15 years employees have been exploited in terms of their salary limitations and working conditions so this agreement is significant as it's the first time they've had the opportunity to negotiate with contractors of HIT. Although this is only a 'half cup full' victory, it is a good starting point for further negotiations to improve the pay and rights of workers and we hope to continue these discussions next year."
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
