Dockers offer a different viewpoint
Three non-striking dockers from two contractors broke their silence yesterday in an interview arranged by strike-hit port operator Hongkong International Terminals, saying their working conditions are not as bad as the strikers say they are.
Three non-striking dockers from two contractors broke their silence yesterday in an interview arranged by strike-hit port operator Hongkong International Terminals, saying their working conditions are not as bad as the strikers say they are.
But their accounts were criticised by their striking counterparts, who said two were "princelings" of contractor Everbest Port Services owners and long entitled to much better pay.
Everbest dockers Lam Wai-yin and Yu Wai-wing, both stevedores, said the stevedores worked in pairs for every 24-hour shift with one usually working for six hours then resting for six hours on full pay.
Yu said he had about 10 days off in a month. Dockers usually did not work several days consecutively unless they wanted to make more money, he said. "My mother saw the media reports and asked if I really need to work so hard. Of course not," Yu said.
My mother saw the media reports and asked if I really need to work so hard. Of course not
The duo said they made HK$1,090 a shift when they started. After eight years, Yu now makes HK$1,441 a shift, while Lam gets HK$1,315 after 10 years on the job.