Union plea for sacked driving instructors falls on deaf ears

Two sacked driving instructors will not be rehired by the Hong Kong School of Motoring because the company says it "cannot co-operate with them", according to a union leader who interceded on the duo's behalf yesterday.

Wong Yu-loy, the organising secretary of the Confederation of Trade Unions, said the company's chief executive, Taurus Leung Ying-kwan, made it clear in a meeting yesterday that the instructors would not be rehired.

"He said that's because the company 'cannot co-operate with them' any more," Wong said.

"He said the only thing he can do is to write them a good reference letter so they can get a job somewhere else."

Wong was speaking after the hour-long meeting at the school's Sha Tin training centre.

The dispute was sparked earlier this month when the company fired instructors Ho Tak-ming, 50, and Kevin Ma Wai-hung, 51, without giving them any reasons.

Ho and Ma believe they were fired because they have been trying to set up a union, and are calling it an "unfair dismissal".