KMB drivers should settle differences with company through talks, Hong Kong’s No 2 official Matthew Cheung says
Remarks by the chief secretary follow a short-lived strike by drivers the previous night, which ended after management agreed to listen to their grievances
Hong Kong’s No 2 official on Sunday weighed in on the strike by a group of KMB bus drivers, calling on them to settle their differences with the company through talks.
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung urged protesting drivers to be “rational and pragmatic” in the fight for their rights, adding that “road safety” should not be compromised by any industrial action.
Cheung also promised that the Labour Department was prepared to mediate if needed.
Road strike by KMB bus drivers’ union over pay dispute ends before it takes off
“I would like to stress that in any industrial action, whether large or small, the most important consideration should be road safety, especially passengers’ convenience and safety,” Cheung said. “One has to appreciate that there are a number of unions in KMB and some of them have agreed on the new arrangements.
“I hope people can look at the issue from a more objective point of view.”
Cheung was commenting on the strike by a group of KMB bus drivers on Saturday evening. The event, which reportedly caused no major traffic problem on most roads, was called off before midnight when the bus company agreed to meet drivers on Monday to discuss their concerns over pay.
KMB also promised that for the time being, it would not address disciplinary action against drivers involved in the strike.
