HOUSING STAFF WORK-TO-RULE OVER PRIVATISATION PLANS
UP to 800 Housing Department staff will take industrial action today to protest against privatisation plans, dealing a blow to supervision of the district council polls.
The work-to-rule action, supported mostly by mid-range and grassroots employees, will leave management to patrol polling in housing estates.
But an official of the Alliance of Housing Department Staff Union, which represents two-thirds of the department's employees, denied the action would cause serious disruption to the election.
In previous polls, a team of workers helped keep order at polling stations.
Alliance convenor Lam Man-cheuk said: 'This is extra work and is not included in our structure. We did it in the past because some colleagues were loyal to the Government. But since the administration is neglecting its staff we feel there is a need to take industrial action.' The union opposes plans to partially privatise housing management, fearing many staff will be dismissed in the move.
