logo
‘All for nothing': Hong Kong workers complain of losing jobs to imported labour

‘All for nothing': Hong Kong workers complain of losing jobs to imported labour

After being forced to quit, Har Cheng* went to the Hong Kong food stall she had worked at for almost two decades, only to find out she had been replaced by imported labourers from mainland China.
Advertisement
Feeling angry and mistreated, Cheng, 67, who helped wash dishes, clean tables and sell beers at the traditional dai pai dong, said her loyalty over the years had all been 'for nothing'.
'I thought I just had a few more years to work before retirement, and the stall had at least 28 workers … How could I expect I would be the first to be targeted?' Cheng said.
Over the past six months, Cheng and 200 other restaurant workers have
reported being sacked and replaced by labourers who came to the city via an import scheme, according to the Eating Establishment Employees General Union.
Unionists and human rights advocacy group the Society for Community Organisation raised concerns about the impact of the scheme ahead of Labour Day on May 1, saying they had heard and received reports from local workers who were replaced by imported labourers.
The government said in 2023 that authorities would ensure city jobseekers were given priority in employment. Photo: Jelly Tse
To combat the city's manpower shortage, the government in September 2023 allowed employers to bring in unlimited unskilled or low-skilled workers from the mainland for 26 new job types, including waiters, junior chefs, and hospitality and sales staff in catering.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wall St Journal set to plead not guilty in unlawful termination suit filed by press union chief Selina Cheng
Wall St Journal set to plead not guilty in unlawful termination suit filed by press union chief Selina Cheng

HKFP

time2 days ago

  • HKFP

Wall St Journal set to plead not guilty in unlawful termination suit filed by press union chief Selina Cheng

The Wall Street Journal is set to plead not guilty in a lawsuit against Selina Cheng, Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) chairperson, who accuses the American newspaper of unlawful dismissal after she took the helm of the press union. Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung on Wednesday reserved four days in December for the trial of the case between Cheng and her former employer, after the legal representative of Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc, the parent company of the Journal, indicated that the company would plead not guilty. The magistrate will meet both parties on November 7 for the media company to enter a formal plea, as well as finalise the admitted facts of the case for trial. The four-day trial is scheduled to start on December 18. Shortly after Cheng was fired from the Journal in July last year, she told reporters that she had been informed her position at the press union would be 'incompatible' with her job and that she had not had permission to take on the role. A spokesperson for Dow Jones told HKFP at the time that the company would not comment on 'specific individuals.' They also said that the Journal 'has been and continues to be a fierce and vocal advocate for press freedom in Hong Kong and around the world.' The HKJA chairperson filed a complaint with the Labour Department in November, after which it consulted the Department of Justice (DoJ) about whether to prosecute the Journal. The DoJ confirmed last month that it would not intervene in the case, as Cheng proceeded with private prosecution. Hong Kong's Employment Ordinance stipulates that it is an offence for an employer to prevent an employee from undertaking trade union membership and activities. An employer is also liable to conviction if they dismiss an employee for exercising those rights. Cheng was first elected chairperson of the HKJA at the union's annual general meeting on June 22 last year, with 100 votes in favour and two against. A new executive committee was also elected at the meeting. She was re-elected union chief last month. The HKJA, founded in 1968, has come under fire from Hong Kong authorities and state-backed media since the city was wracked by months-long protests and unrest in 2019. The press group has been accused of smearing the police force, allowing 'fake journalists' to join, and protecting protesters.

HK$40 cherries in Hong Kong? Why US-China trade war means sweet savings
HK$40 cherries in Hong Kong? Why US-China trade war means sweet savings

South China Morning Post

time2 days ago

  • South China Morning Post

HK$40 cherries in Hong Kong? Why US-China trade war means sweet savings

A bitter trade dispute between Washington and Beijing has delivered an unexpected windfall for Hong Kong shoppers, with a glut of diverted US cherries flooding the market and bringing prices for some shipments to their lowest levels in two decades. Advertisement Stalls in the bustling Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market are now offering the popular summer fruit from Washington state for as little as HK$40 (US$5.10) a pound, a steep discount from past years. The price is partly a consequence of high tariffs imposed on US goods by China under the tit-for-tat escalation in the trade war between the two countries. The total tariff rate on American cherries stood at 58 per cent as of mid-June, according to an industry publication. The measure prompted suppliers to divert large quantities of the highly perishable fruit to tariff-free Hong Kong, which operates as a separate customs entity distinct from mainland China. A senior sales specialist, surnamed Cheng, at major fruit importer Kingo Fruits (HK) said on Tuesday that the entire Yau Ma Tei market might have processed around 8,000 cartons of airfreighted cherries a day at its peak last year. Advertisement This year, the daily volume had surged to as high as 12,000 cartons at its peak, he said.

Hong Kong property sector could face challenges but ‘risks are manageable': FSDC chair
Hong Kong property sector could face challenges but ‘risks are manageable': FSDC chair

South China Morning Post

time16-07-2025

  • South China Morning Post

Hong Kong property sector could face challenges but ‘risks are manageable': FSDC chair

Hong Kong's property sector could face some 'short-term challenges' but 'the risks are manageable' because the city's economy was diversified and sat on a solid foundation, the chairman of the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) said on Wednesday. 'As an international financial centre, the global uncertainties would mean some Hong Kong industries would face certain short-term challenges, including the property sector,' said Benjamin Hung Pi-cheng at a press conference after the council released its annual report. 'There is no need to worry about anything like 'too big to fail' because the fact is, the property sector only represents a small portion of Hong Kong's economy and bank loans,' he said. 'As such, the risks are manageable.' The phrase 'too big to fail' became widely known during the 2008 global financial crisis and it refers to the idea that companies can be so large and interconnected that the failure of one firm can ripple outward to other businesses and the economy as a whole. In May, Hong Kong's lived-in home prices were down 28 per cent from a peak in September 2021, according to government statistics. Some prominent developers have lately required debt restructurings. New World Development (NWD) ­successfully refinanced HK$88.2 billion (US$11.2 billion) worth of debt before a June 30 deadline after months of negotiations that pulled the developer back from the brink of default.­

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store