( THE STANDARD HONG KONG )
One of the two contractors at the center of a strike by 450 dockers demanding more pay is closing down.
Saying it was simply unable to continue operating, Global Stevedoring Service delivered the shock yesterday.
"About 75 percent of our employees are taking part in the strike," Global said in a statement outlining its position.
Having that number of workers off the job and taking into account the amount of the pay increase demanded, "which we could not afford, we have no alternative but to end our business when the contract expires on June 30."
One of Global's bosses, Lau Kwok- on, added: "We've been forced into a dead end. But "we are employers with a conscience. We will compensate the workers according to the Labour Ordinance."
The contractor had ended mediation talks with the strikers on Wednesday, three weeks after workers walked out to demand improved pay and conditions.
The dockers, many of them crane operators, earn around HK$18,000 a month. They are seeking a pay hike of 20 percent, but the employers are sticking to a 7 percent offer.
Port operator Hongkong International Terminals expressed regret over Global's call but "understands the decision," a spokesman said. "HIT will make suitable arrangements and minimize the effect on operations."
HIT also called on strikers to return to the negotiations that had been going on with the contractors and hosted by the Labour Department because the entire port sector faced being hurt.
But the strikers sai
d they were not worried about the development at Global and would continue their action.
On the closedown, the worker representative at Global, Chan Ka-kui, said he was neither surprised nor worried about the decision, and it would not affect the strike action.
"Workers have always been ready for Global's closure," Chan said. "But we're not worried. It's difficult for contractors to replace workers who have related licenses and are very experienced."
Likewise, dock workers with the other contractor, Everbest Port Services, said they were not worried.
"We have worked for so many years and not just anyone can replace us," said Wong Yuk-ki, 47, an 18-year dock worker.
And Confederation of Trade Unions general secretary Lee Cheuk-yan said he could sympathize with the contractor in that it was only a middleman between workers and HIT.
The Union of Hong Kong Dockers, which has been helping the strikers, has meanwhile urged the public to join a candlelight vigil outside Cheung Kong Center, the headquarters of HIT parent Hutchison Whampoa, at 7pm tonight.
Some 200 strikers who had remained at the Kwai Tsing container terminals after about an equal number set up camp outside Cheung Kong Center will head to Central to join the vigil.
The candlelight effort follows on from strikers in Central attempting to force their way into Hutchison House yesterday afternoon.
The louboutin schuhe workers headed there from outside Cheung Kong Center to demand a meeting with senior management.
But as the strike entered its 22nd day, Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa chairman Li Ka-shing had remained silent.
Driving himself to a golf course, the billionaire refused to comment when asked if he would face the workers. "I won't say anything," he responded.
Union spokesman Stanley Ho Wai- hong said they do not rule out the possibility of escalating their industrial action unless Li agreed to a dialogue.
| ENG | 繁體 | 簡體 
