Talks to end port strike will take time, says organiser Lee Cheuk-yan

Long-awaited talks among striking dockers, two contractors and the affected port operator are due to be held today, but the union representing the workers doubts the dispute can be resolved in one sitting.

This came as the operator, Hongkong International Terminals (HIT), said 90 vessels were expected to have skipped the Kwai Tsing container terminals, where it operates, if the strike lasted 25 days to April 21.

Strike organiser Lee Cheuk-yan, a lawmaker with the Confederation of Trade Unions (CTU), said that if talks broke down today, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung should bear the "biggest responsibility".

Cheung said the Labour Department had arranged a meeting of the confederation, the port operator, and two contractors, to be held this morning.

It is understood the two contractors are Everbest Port Services and Global Stevedoring Service Company. HIT will act only as an "observer".

There will be another meeting in the afternoon involving HIT, the two contractors, the Federation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions. The two unions represent two other groups of non-striking dockers.