Medical staff union voted to go ahead with strike next week

The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance saw the majority of its members agreeing to a strike next week to pressure the government for a full border closure to prevent an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Hong Kong.

Voting result shows that 3,123 voted agree to a strike, while only 10 disagreed, and 23 abstained.

Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority Tony Ko Pat-sing said earlier today that public hospitals will cut some outpatient and non-urgent services if its staff go ahead with the strike.

Ko said he is worried about the situation, but emphasized that emergency services will come first.

The came after the newly formed union said yesterday that 6,700 medical workers at public hospitals pledged to participate in the strike next week, mostly nurses and doctors.

The union also said that most coronavirus patients in the city came from the mainland, and it would exceed public hospitals’ capability to cope if the number of cases keeps rising.