Pacific Century CyberWorks (PCCW) unions representing about half the firm's 13,500 staff last night recommended that their members work to rule from Tuesday. The announcement came as the Labour Department announced it would offer the 858 PCCW workers laid off on Monday help in finding work. The PCCW Employees General Union, which represents 4,000 workers, said it would ask its members to support the work-to-rule. 'After talks with other unions, we concluded that we would urge our members to support the action as we need to show that all workers are united in their opposition to the sackings,' committee member Leung Ting-to said. 'We are also aware that taking such a course of action could put individual members in a difficult situation with their supervisors. If they encounter such trouble, they should call the union for advice immediately.' Another union, the Cable and Wireless (HK) Ltd Staff Association, is understood to have pledged similar support. The union has 600 members. The work-to-rule was proposed by the 2,000-strong PCCW Staff Association, whose chairman, Ip Ngok-fung, has been elected as one of the staff representatives to oversee a new $40 million fund to help dismissed workers. PCCW chairman and chief executive Richard Li Tzar-kai contributed $20 million to the fund personally, a sum matched by the company. Mr Ip also proposed that couples made redundant together should have priority and that fund payments could be made on a lump-sum basis or released in instalments. Christine Fang Meng-sang, the fund's chairwoman, said she would do all she could to help the workers affected. Ms Fang said a hotline - 2883 8300 - and an e-mail service - fund@pccw.com - had been set up from today to take questions from the sacked workers. She also plans to hold talks with their representatives tomorrow. PCCW said it was aware of the work-to-rule plan and was prepared to deal with the disruption. 'We have in place comprehensive contingency plans to deal with every eventuality. We are entirely confident that we are able to deal with any event without disruption to service levels,' a spokesman for the firm said. The Commissioner for Labour, Pamela Tan Kam Mi-wah, said: 'We urge PCCW to maintain effective communication with its staff, and workers to remain calm.' She also said the Labour Department would offer a free special programme to help affected workers find work. By yesterday, 102 former PCCW workers had registered with the department to find jobs. Meanwhile, 228 inquiries on its employment service as well as workers rights and benefits had also been received. chanfel@scmp.com
