44 is the limit? Renewed calls on standard working hours see 300 march in Wan Chai
Trade unions and workers boycott the consultation by the Standard Working Hours Committee, and call on Chief Executive to fulfil his electoral promise
About 300 people marched from Wan Chai to the government headquarters calling for the legislation of standard working hours on the last day of a second public consultation on the matter, police and organisers have said.
Demonstrators demanded a cap on working hours to 44 a week and for workers to be paid 1.5 times their usual overtime rate.
Mung Siu-tat, chief executive of the Confederation of Trade Unions – the event’s organisor – criticised the government for using the consultation to promote contractual working hours rather than standard working hours.
Contractual working hours are stipulated in agreements signed by employers and employees. Workers with contractual working hours may have to work more than 44 hours a week and may not be guaranteed overtime pay.
“In view of the committee [on standard working hours] going ahead with the consultation despite a boycott by labour representatives, we will not accept and recognise the results of this consultation process, regardless of what they are,” Mung said.
He also called upon Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to dismiss the committee and fulfil his electoral promise of legislating standard working hours.