During her 19 years as a social worker, Lo Kit-lin says conditions have never been worse.
She was one of 17 staff from her youth centre who took part in the collective leave action yesterday, hoping that the display of people power would bring changes.
Fewer than 15 staff remained at Kwun Tong Methodist Social Services, where a notice was put up warning clients that services could be affected by the action.
Volunteer service activities were suspended, as were counselling and outreach services.
Sitting in her quiet office just before leaving to join the protest, Ms Lo hoped it could bring about changes to an unfair funding system.
The youth services supervisor said she was a victim of massive cuts imposed by the lump-sum grant system, which had resulted in pay freezes and reductions in recent years. In April, her pay was cut by more than HK$10,000 to HK$33,355 a month.