Unionists call for minimum wage hike to HK$55 in ‘Labour Day Declaration'

The labor sector is calling for the statutory minimum wage to be increased to HK$55 per hour from the current HK$40, as lawmakers and unionists on Wednesday proposed 10 measures for this year’s “Labor Day Declaration”.

Nine labor and civil service unions issued a "Labour Day Declaration" ahead of May 1, with 10 policy suggestions urging the government to improve labor protection and boost benefits.

The chairman of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Union Council, Lee Kwok-keung, said the city’s minimum hourly wage should be increased by HK$15 to HK$55.

He said a basic lunch in the territory can easily cost HK$55, which makes the current minimum wage unreasonable as it cannot even cover the cost of a meal.

Apart from the minimum wage hike, the unionists also called on authorities to end further labor imports and improve occupational safety.

The government should provide job-matching services for businesses participating in labor importation schemes, with the aim of getting the firms to prioritize local people, they suggested.

They also urge the government to strengthen inspections of construction projects to prevent industrial accidents and improve labor protection for gig workers such as food delivery personnel.

The government should also ensure the smooth implementation of the eMPF Platform next year to go ahead with the abolition of the MPF offsetting arrangement, as well as enhance vocational education and training, they added.