The View | Hong Kong’s poor and outsourced workers need better wages and protection
- Outsourcing might be convenient and cost-effective for employers, but it comes at a high price for some of the city’s most vulnerable workers
- There is much to be gained by offering more generous wages and protection to these households, many of whom are single-parent or new arrivals
While outsourcing can be cost-effective for employers, given its flexibility in employment practices, it can be detrimental to employees and relationships.
Given that it is only a short-term working arrangement, the relationship with workers might not appear to matter. In the long run, however, weak employment ties can have an adverse effect on the community.
The issue has come to the forefront once again in recent days after a local artist, Luke Ching Chin-wai, became an outsourced MTR cleaner to expose the harsh conditions faced by these low-paid workers.
The government has made some improvements, changing the scoring system of the tendering process so the lowest bidder is not necessarily awarded a contract. Even so, certain conditions still need to be met.