While some headway is being made, a settlement remains elusive as the strike involving more than 300 dock workers at Kwai Tsing Terminal enters its 37th day today.
Everbest Port Services, the only contractor participating in the resumed talks, put forward the same package that it has offered in previous negotiations, but now wants to speak directly with the workers to explain it.
Everbest representative Dick Wong Chi-tak insists the "5+2" package is the best the contractor can offer. It calls for basic wages and benefits to be increased by 5 percent and 2percent in the first year, with the basic wage raised anothe 5percent the second year.
"In past discussions, we have clearly forwarded the proposals to workers. We will discuss Everbest's meeting with workers," said Union of Hong Kong Dockers spokesman Stanley Ho Wai- hong.
About 70 dockers employed by another contractor, ComCheung Human Resources, downed tools to join the strike yesterday, but some later returned to work, port operator Hongkong International Terminals said.
Those who resumed their duties did so after hearing the contractor reportedly agreed to hike wages by 20percent in two years.
"In fact, the 20percent pay rise has never been confirmed by the employers," unionist Wong Yu-loi said.
A memo issued by ComCheung revealed the increment will be effective from July, and the rate for its three shifts will be 15 percent, 6.5percent and 6.5 percent, averaging 9.3percent.
Ng Koon-hin, a workers' representative of ComCheung who joined the negotiations, said they are dissatisfied with the offer.
Ng said the number of strikers reached 530 at one point after 80percent to 90percent of workers from terminals 4, 6 and 7 showed their solidarity.
Meanwhile, unionists believe there will soon be a third contractor on the scene.
Together with Lem Wing Transportation and Pui Kee Stevedore, the trio may recruit 180 crane operators of Global Stevedoring Service, which has shut.
"But there is no promise that the striking crane operators will all be hired," Kwok Pak-kai, a workers' representative at Global Stevedoring, said
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