Striking Hong Kong dockworkers remain steadfast in their weeklong strike for fair wages and safe working conditions. The job action is slowing cargo shipments at the world’s third busiest port.
Hundreds dockworkers and community supporters have been camped out on the road in front of the Hutchison International Terminals (HIT) container terminal, which is owned by by Asia’s richest person, billionaire Li Ka-shing.
Hutchison operates 12 berths at four of Hong Kong’s nine container terminals and two others with a joint venture partner. The company is controlled by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., the flagship company of billionaire Li’s sprawling Hong Kong business empire which also has retail, mobile phone and property businesses spanning the globe.
Workers are seeking also demanding resolution of health and safety problems, such as lack of bathroom breaks.
Striking workers like crane operator Cho Wai-kei said they earn about $90 a shift–less then they were getting in 1997. He and other workers operating the cranes complained of arduous 12-hour shifts during which they weren’t allowed to leave their operator cabins high above the ground, even to use the bathroom.
“When you get into that metal cage, there’s no difference between you and a dog,” Cho said.
“The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is calling on HIT and on Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPH Trust), to put health and safety, decent working conditions and respect for union rights first,” said ITF President Paddy Crumlin. “The dockers have the full support and backing of the 4.5 million member strong ITF global union. Dockers in global network terminals around the world are watching closely, as are transport workers along the supply chain. Global network terminal operators in the stevedoring industry in particular have a critical responsibility to work with their employees to ensure basic labor rights are acknowledged and respected.”
Click here to send a letter of protest to HIT. Click here to send a letter of solidarity to the dockers.