Dock workers' strike stakes rise as others join the action
Truckers' union calls on members to take sick leave to support the dockers, as HIT continues to deny demands of contractor-bound workers
The dispute between striking dockers and the container port operator escalated yesterday, with thousands of the workers and their supporters staging a protest march.
Meanwhile, the city's 20,000 truck drivers were urged to show their support by going on sick leave today.
As the strike entered its 11th day, the 500 dock workers on strike marched with their supporters from Causeway Bay's Victoria Park to Central's Cheung Kong Center - where tycoon Li Ka-shing works - and then on to the government's Tamar headquarters in Admiralty.
Port operator Hongkong International Terminals (HIT) is a subsidiary of Li's Hutchison Whampoa. The Confederation of Trade Unions, the protest organiser, said 4,000 people took part. Police put the number at 2,800.
Video: No bathrooms and 24-hour shifts – the life of a dock workhorse
One striking docker, Wong Ming, said that while he was aware of the impact their industrial action had on the city's economy, the workers had to fight for their rights. "We have contributed to the economy for so many years. We have the right to fight for what we deserve," he said.