Watch list revealed as latest talks to find $6m severance pay owed to Ocean Palace staff fail
More than 40 traditional Chinese restaurants with a record of repeated labour disputes have been put on a new government watch list, the labour chief revealed yesterday.
Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said his bureau started keeping a list of such restaurants about six months ago so that it could offer timely assistance.
He said a restaurant would appear on the list after its workers reported labour disputes three times within six months.
'Some of the restaurants suffered management problems, others owed employees salaries or had disputes about taking leave or the roster, Mr Cheung said.
'If we receive three reports from employees of a restaurant, we feel that these eateries may require more attention and more assistance.'
Mr Cheung made the remarks after meeting representatives of the Confederation of Trade Unions yesterday about helping the Ocean Palace Restaurant and Nightclub come up with about $6 million of severance pay for its 230 laid-off workers.