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SCMP Reporter

I am dismayed by the unjustified delays on the part of our government in passing the legislation that is needed to enforce a statutory minimum wage.
It should be stepping up its efforts to protect workers.
Instead, it prefers to rely upon bosses to pay decent wages, on a voluntary basis,  to low-paid workers such as cleaners and security guards.
It is a bit like asking a driver to follow speed limit of 50km/h in city boundaries and 100km/h on the highway, voluntarily, without any penalties for speeding.
It was always going to  fail, as there are so many selfish and profit-motivated employers who, even after signing the pledge, put profits first.
Union leaders  and workers are being forced to take to the streets in protests expressing their concern over the government's delaying tactics.
Some pro-government legislators, such as the Liberal Party and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, have come out with lame excuses, saying such a law will have a negative effect on the economy and increase unemployment. These same legislators supported cuts to the minimum wage of foreign domestic helpers and the HK$400 levy imposed on their employers.  This levy was to be used to retrain local worker who were unemployed.
However, we know that few local workers would be willing to put in the 17 to 18-hour days some domestic helpers have to work.
Clearly, this retraining argument was just an excuse.  The fund has risen to more than HK$4 billion and I have yet to see any concrete examples of retraining programmes. This is a slap in the face for our poor maids at a time when prices are rising.
Hong Kong has a robust economy and can sustain a statutory minimum wage of HK$23-HK$25 per hour and HK$6,000 per month, without there being any negative impact.
Further delays will heighten the anger of workers and lead to more demonstrations. It is like waiting for the fire to break out and then looking around for the water to extinguish it.  This is not an example of good government.
A. L. Nanik, Tsim Sha Tsui



Government must stop delaying tactics and impose minimum wage