The fight against outsourcing will continue despite a lower than hoped for turnout in yesterday's action
The lifeguards' union has threatened another strike against the outsourcing of swimming pool management and services - despite the turnout for yesterday's strike being half what was expected.
About 500 joined the strike, while the Hong Kong and Kowloon Lifeguards' Union had expected 1,000 of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's 1,600 lifeguards to stop work.
The action still caused widespread disruption, with only 11 pools operating normally. About 10 beaches and two pools were closed due to lack of lifeguards, and 23 pools were partly open. The department said pool attendance was down from 72,256 on a normal Monday to 29,650, with beaches down from 30,504 to 21,978.
'We do not feel disappointed,' union vice-chairman Alex Kwok Siu-kit said.
'Numbers [of strikers] don't matter. We are fighting for our rights to job security and people's rights to safe lifesaving. We do not rule out the possibility of another round of industrial action and we will meet to discuss what further action we will take.'
