PCCW sub-contractors protest over salary cuts, lay-offs
Updated at 7.26pm: About 50 PCCW sub-contractors protested against planned salary cuts and layoffs by the company outside its Quarry Bay headquarters on Friday morning.
PCCW, the largest communications provider in Hong Kong and one of Asia?s leading IT companies, has had to reduce its labour force in recent years.
For the past three years the sub-contractors have been PCCW?s preferred service providers ? under a 2002 initiative which allowed them to solicit business from other companies. But under these arrangements, the 17 independent companies established by former PCCW employees will have to bid for contracts through open tenders.
The sub-contractors protested against the new arrangements in Quarry Bay at about 10am.
But a PCCW spokesman contacted by SCMP.com refused to comment on the protest: ?It would be inappropriate for PCCW to comment on matters concerning the internal operations and manpower arrangements of these independent companies.?
PCCW was formed by chairman Richard Li Tzar-kai, the son of Hong Kong?s richest man Li Ka-shing.
Following its August 2000 acquisition of Cable & Wireless HKT, PCCW has focused on its transition from a technology-driven telecommunications company to a customer-led, integrated-communications services provider.
Globally, PCCW employs approximately 12,000 staff, and provides services in the integrated telecommunications; broadband solutions; connectivity; narrowband and interactive broadband (Internet services); IT solutions and services; and infrastructure.
But since 2000 the company has announced successive lay-offs of staff.
