More breaks and countdowns on traffic lights needed to improve working conditions of Hong Kong bus drivers, union says
Union representatives meet the Transport Department following deadly bus accident in Cheung Sha Wan last month
Union representatives of five franchised bus companies – Kowloon Motor Bus, Citybus, New World First Bus, Long Win and New Lantau Bus – met Transport Secretary Frank Chan Fan and Assistant Commissioner for Transport Rachel Kwan on Tuesday. Chan pledged to study the ideas but gave no timetable for implementing them.
Cheung Tsz-kei, principal vice-chairman of the Motor Transport Workers General Union, said they called on Chan to immediately review the working hours of drivers.
“We are open to the idea of setting a cap on the number of hours per shift,” Cheung said. “Of course, this has to be done without compromising our current salary and benefits.”
Kung Sui-tong, deputy head of the union’s Citybus branch, said most drivers were inclined to keep the current length of shifts, as they feared shorter hours would mean less pay.