Pacific Century CyberWorks sacked 858 workers yesterday in the biggest corporate lay-off in recent years and warned further cuts could not be ruled out.
The move, which came less than a week after the company announced a $1.89 billion net profit, infuriated staff unions, which warned of industrial action and large-scale demonstrations.
They already have asked affected staff not to sign papers agreeing to compensation terms before further action is taken.
Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said the sackings were an isolated case, but hundreds of PCCW employees showed their anger by taking part in a five-minute stoppage at work yesterday afternoon and more than 200 attended a gathering at Southorn Playground in Wan Chai last night.
Many of the 858 laid-off staff - representing about six per cent of the company's workforce - were technical staff at its Lai Chi Kok and Wan Chai offices. The employees received letters of dismissal yesterday afternoon, telling them to leave the premises immediately.
About 600 workers left the company voluntarily in the past three months and 800 posts were shed in July and December last year. The company's workforce has dropped from 16,000 in 2000 to about 13,500.
