May Day marches draw thousands with Hong Kong dock strikers leading the charge

Truck drivers, domestic helpers, striking dockers - they came from different walks of life, but the thousands of people who joined yesterday's two Labour Day marches were united in their demand for better working conditions.

The Confederation of Trade Unions said a record 5,000 people took part in its march from Victoria Park to government headquarters in Admiralty before ending near tycoon Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Center in Central. Police said 3,700 people joined the rally.

Many of the signs and banners called for legislation on standard working hours, a collective bargaining law and an annual review of the minimum wage.

"The turnout was a record high this year because the dockers' strike has let Hong Kong people become aware of how the city's workers are treated. Can you imagine having no toilet break or meal break?" said, Lee Cheuk-yan, the confederation's general secretary.

"We need to have a collective bargaining law in Hong Kong. If we did, the strike would not have happened. The union would have resolved the dispute with the dockers' employers through negotiation a long time ago."

Taking the lead on the march were the 450 dockers who walked off the job 36 days ago at the Kwai Tsing container terminals, where a subsidiary of Li's Hutchison Whampoa runs five terminals. The dockers are seeking a pay rise of about 20 per cent.

Among them was Li Pak-kung, who came with his wife Wang Xiu-ying and son, Li Cheuk-fung, eight. "I would not have lasted so long in the strike without their support. With it, I can go on for as long as 60 days. No problem at all," Li said.