Hong Kong authorities call for resolution of labour dispute at transitional housing site, as workers claim HK$600,000 owed in unpaid wages
- Eight workers chant slogans and hold up banners saying ‘sweat with no pay’ and ‘evil bosses have no conscience’ at construction site
- Housing Bureau and Labour Department reach out to NGO operator and building contractor of Yap Ting Terraced Home in Tseung Kwan O
Hong Kong authorities have called for the quick resolution of a labour dispute involving construction workers of a publicly funded transitional housing project who say they are owed three months’ wages totalling HK$600,000 (US$76,880).
Eight workers protested by chanting slogans and holding up banners that read “sweat with no pay” and “evil bosses have no conscience” at the construction site on Thursday.
“I thought government projects would be safe [from problems]. Who knew they would stop paying our salaries at the end of the project? I don’t even know if they will pay us in future,” a labourer surnamed Chan told reporters at the entrance of Yap Ting Terraced Home in Tseung Kwan O.
Chan said he and his colleagues had started at the construction site last November, but had stopped receiving their salaries in May.
At least eight bar benders were owed up to a total of HK$600,000, covering three months of wages, according to another worker at the site.
Yap Ting Terraced Home is a two-block transitional housing project operated by Christian Family Service Centre, an NGO, with China Harbour Engineering Company as contractor.
Construction work began last June and the project is expected to provide an estimated 413 flats for more than 1,000 residents.
Hours after the rare protest, the Housing Bureau said the government instructed the relevant organisation and contractor to settle the matter as soon as possible.