appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Martin Wong

Bar benders leaving the city to earn more in Macau claim they end up being exploited by the same bosses there.

'No one wants to work for Tin Wo Engineering Company Limited. But sadly over 50 per cent of the construction projects in Hong Kong and Macau are outsourced to this company,' said a Mr Liu, who has been working as a bar bender in Macau for two years.

The company, owned by Tsang Tang-fat, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar-bending Contractors Association, is well known for bidding for projects at very low prices, according to some workers.

They accused the firm of slashing their pay in order to win projects at low tendering prices.

Mr Liu said Tin Wo Engineering offered only HK$800 to HK$850 to Hong Kong bar benders working in Macau, while other contractors gave workers a pay rise on August 1 that saw pay increase to  HK$900 to HK$950.

He said some experienced workers were even paid HK$1,000 to HK$1,100 a shift by other contractors.

'Since it is a big company, it can afford to bid for big projects that hire many workers. It is very difficult for workers to avoid working for the company both in Hong Kong and Macau, though it offers the worst salary package to builders.'

Another builder, a Mr Lam,  said bar benders in Macau used to work eight-hour days, but Mr Tsang's company took the lead and increased working hours by 45 minutes. 'Other contractors will follow suit, as they are all members of the Hong Kong Bar-bending Contractors Association which is headed by Mr Tsang,' he said.

Tin Wo Engineering did not return calls for comment.



Bar benders 'victims' of low bids