Talks between striking dockers and contractors break down

Talks between striking Kwai Tsing dockers and two contractors that employ them broken down on Thursday with the contractors only willing to agree to a raise of about 7 per cent – a far cry from the 17 to 23 per cent the strikers are asking for.

But both sides did not say if they were standing firm on their proposals.

A representative of the strikers only said that there was a “high chance” that the dock workers would not accept the 7 per cent offer.

A representative from Everbest Port Services, one of the two contractors at the meeting, said “nothing is impossible” when asked if there was still room for adjustment.

Representatives from the other contractor, Global Stevedoring Service Company, did not comment as they left halfway through the meeting when the strikers went on a toilet break.

Thursday’s 7 per cent offer to the strikers comprised a 5 per cent pay rise and new benefits worth an additional 2 per cent, strike organiser Stanley Ho Wai-hong said.