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ITF release statement on latest developments
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) issued an update on the current situation in the Port of Hong Kong, where subcontracted workers have been on strike for nearly a month.
Despite the continuation of the strike, there have been several developments in this dispute, according to the ITF. Global Stevedoring, a contractor of Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT), has announced it is closing its operations, blaming the Union of Hong Kong Dockers (UHKD) strike action, which the ITF claims is a blatant attempt to turn public opinion against the union.
In addition, a work-to-rule being carried out by members of the HIT union has been halted after an agreement was made with HIT management to give overtime compensation of 1.4 times the hourly rate, a victory for the union.
In a statement, the ITF said that it welcomes the agreement between HIT and the HIT union and now calls for the same standards with regards good faith and transparent negotiation to be applied to the subcontracted workers, who remain out on strike.
Members of the Union of Hong Kong Dockers have been picketing at Kwai Chung terminal in a bid to make Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT) management return to negotiations. There is also a union presence outside the offices of Hutchison Whampoa, the parent company of terminal operator Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), of which HIT is a subsidiary.
