Hong Kong rail staff threaten to strike as MTR Corp battles to restore driver morale after Yuen Long station attack
- Rail giant vows to review safety procedures after mob attacks passengers
- Unions urge members not to strike as anger over treatment of female driver remains
The MTR Corporation vowed to review its safety procedures on Monday as it faced the threat of imminent strike action, and battled to restore the morale of hundreds of drivers angry at its handling of the violence in a northern Hong Kong station.
As political tensions against the extradition bill continued to escalate, the rail operator’s frontline staff expressed outrage at its handling of the passengers who were beaten last weekend in Yuen Long, and there were calls online for a strike by drivers starting at 7am on Tuesday.
However, two railway unions denied any involvement in a possible strike, and one urged its members to refrain from doing so, and said it had no idea who was behind the move.
Tam Kin-chiu, vice-chairman of the pro-government Hong Kong Federation of Railway Trade Unions, which represents 4,000 MTR workers in four unions, said its members would not take part in any strike action.
“We call on our colleagues to stand fast at their posts, maintain the normal operation of the railways and continue to serve the public,” he said.
