Migrant workers seek mainland police help over firings, docked wages in Hong Kong: union
A union official says the Hospital Authority project’s subcontractor is expected to cross the border to explain to police
A group of migrant workers tied to a Hong Kong Hospital Authority project have filed a report to police across the border after they were fired and allegedly had their wages docked by a mainland Chinese firm, a labour union has said.
Chiu Kin-keung, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, said on Tuesday a subcontractor for the United Christian Hospital expansion project in Kwun Tong had resolved payment for about 50 imported workers on Monday, after a mainland management company allegedly docked their wages.
But he said the mainland firm on the same day demanded workers each pay HK$6,000 (US$770) from the wages they had collected, which was about HK$30,000 per person including overtime fees, to secure future jobs in Hong Kong.
The employees refused and were then sacked.
“The workers reported to police in Shenzhen as we suggested. Mainland police are handling the matter. The subcontractor is expected to cross the border and give an explanation,” he said on a radio show, adding that union representatives would continue to follow the situation.
The Development Bureau said on social media the main contractor and subcontractor on Tuesday morning had pledged not to fire the workers who complained.
