LONGTIME unionist Lau Chin-shek, who resigned as a legislator yesterday after three years in the lawmaking body, said the Legislative Council was powerless to challenge government decisions.
Mr Lau said he had run for Legco in 1991 with hopes of continuing his fight for labour benefits from within the establishment.
'I used to think the Legislative Council was 'inside the establishment', but actually it isn't,' he said. 'The establishment only includes the Governor, top government officials and the Executive Council.' Mr Lau said the administration indulged in a lot more political trickery than council members.
He said workers should 'stand up for their benefits instead of waiting for the establishment to do something for them'.
Mr Lau's resignation was prompted by the withdrawal of the Employment (Amendment) Bill last month after he changed it to raise the ceiling of severance and long-service payments.
Amended legislation was passed by Legco yesterday. (Full story Page 5.) The bill's passage means Mr Lau's resignation comes into effect today.