Hong Kong halts hiring mainland Chinese workers following exploitation charges
Some construction workers have had their salaries cut by half by recruitment agencies. Local union also blames a property market downturn for the suspension of a scheme that brought in almost 10,000 non-local workers.
Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – Hong Kong authorities blocked a scheme involving mainland Chinese workers after more than 120 migrants reported being cheated out of their wages.
The union representing construction workers, the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union (HKCIEGU), welcomed the decision at a press conference held last week to illustrate the abuses suffered by migrant workers.
The union explained that Chinese agents who recruit staff for construction sites have defrauded and intimidated workers.
“More reports were coming in after we held the press conference," said the union's vice president, Chiu Kin-keung, speaking to the Hong Kong Free Press.
“If they were not feeling very desperate, these workers would not have come to us. They are very scared as they are not familiar with Hong Kong’s institutions and regulations,” he explained, adding that the complaints received “are only the tip of the iceberg".
Workers reported, for example, that they had to hand over their ATM cards and had half of their wages subtracted.
“Three months after the agent withdrew part of their wage, the agent asked all workers to sign a paper confirming all wages had been well received. Some workers refused to sign and the agent threaten to fire them, ” the union said during the press conference.
Other workers said they were forced to pay additional costs for training or work extra days without pay. Workers who were fired were sent back to mainland China.
None of the workers who suffered abuse and threats were present at the press conference to avoid reprisal.
Starting last year, Hong Kong has been trying to address a growing labour shortage, expanding the sectors allowed to recruit staff from outside the territory, through the Labour Importation Scheme.
Since its implementation, 9,731 nonlocal workers were employed on construction sites.
In response to the complaints (which the authorities are investigating), the Hong Kong Development Bureau has rejected all 18 applications submitted to recruit another nonlocal 1,750 workers, despite the department itself setting a quota of 12,000.
According to the union, however, a downturn in the property market has played a role in the suspension of the Labour Importation Scheme.
“From what I know, because property values are falling quite severely, some architects have been required to take unpaid leave, and some workers are underemployed,” said a HKCIEGU spokesman.
“I wouldn’t say the exploitation of non-local workers was the only reason for halting the quotas,” he added.
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09/07/2007
10/07/2023 16:45
