Urgent call to prioritize local employment amidst rising imported labor

Local workers are being increasingly replaced by imported labor in the catering, transportation, property management, and construction sectors, multiple unions have warned. 

They are urging the government to prioritize local employment to protect jobs.

Wong Tai Sin district councilor Yau Yiu-shing told media on Wednesday that he received reports of a banquet hall dismissing a team of local chefs after they refused to train imported workers brought in by management.

“Some employers are hiring imported workers not to fill labor shortages but to replace local staff,” Yau said.

He also said that a property management company requested local security guards over 60 to “stop coming to work,” deeming them “too slow” compared to newly hired imported workers. 

In light of this, Yau has urged the government to implement a mechanism to halt the importation of labor when necessary.

Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, highlighted ongoing issues with delayed payments in the industry, with private projects often delaying salaries for up to six months. 

Although government projects typically pay on time, full payments are not always made at once.
Stanley Ng Chau-pei, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, called for stricter safeguards for local employment. 

“Once imported workers are introduced, local salary standards will inevitably suffer,” Ng warned.

He said that the union plans to “try every appropriate method” to promote fair treatment for employees on Labour Day, May 1, though he did not directly address whether the union will resume the Labour Day rally after the pandemic. 

Instead, last year, the union organized district visits for senior government officials, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, to meet frontline workers, which received a warm response. 
Ng said that the festival values the "spirit of labor."

(Ayra Wang)