Union urges Hong Kong gov’t to prioritise local minibus drivers after 60% of imported workers fail test
Hong Kong Free Press
Over 60 per cent of imported workers have failed to pass Hong Kong’s driving test for green minibuses and private buses, prompting a union to urge authorities to prioritise local drivers and boost their remuneration.
The Public Light Bus Branch of the Motor Transport Workers General Union raised concerns over imported workers during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon amid the government’s move to absorb a large number of non-local workers.
Chan Fung-yuen, chairman of the union’s branch, claimed that most imported workers for public minibuses came from second and third tier cities of the Greater Bay Area, where driving habits differ from Hong Kong: “Hong Kong is a metropolis with narrow roads, many traffic lights, many vehicles and many pedestrians. It is not easy for drivers from mainland China to adapt to Hong Kong, ” Chan told HKFP in Cantonese on Wednesday during a phone interview.
In response to HKFP, the Transport Department said on Wednesday that 91 imported workers for the transportation industry had arrived in the city after the policy was enacted last July. Among them, 56 workers have taken corresponding driving examinations, with 22 workers successfully passing the tests.
The department said the pass rate of 39 per cent should not be treated as valid data as number of workers taking tests was relatively low.
The authority added that some non-local drivers had started to work after passing tests, and the government will send officers to conduct on-site inspections to make sure non-local drivers provide professional services.
Last June, Hong Kong relaxed regulations to allow the transport, aviation and construction industry to employ up to 20,000 imported workers, overall, amid a labour shortage. But labour groups criticised the plan, as union leaders and local workers were not given an opportunity to scrutinise the proposal.
Under the new policy, the transport sector can employ up to 1,700 non-local workers to drive public, green minibuses, private buses – such as shuttle buses for housing estates, and cross-borders buses for tourists.
Employers should provide a wage of no less than HK$14,300 per month as well accommodation, insurance and training.
Authorities also revised a supplementary labour scheme last June, which allowed employers to hire non-local staff for 26 positions. The roles included chefs, table servers, cashiers, and sales staff without limits on numbers.
Local workforce idle
The union leader Chan said that, following the policy change, minibus employers were now recruiting local drivers with a salary of HK$14,300, which he said was too low to attract local people, especially young people.
According to the union, there are 160,000 residents holding driving licences for public minibuses but only 8,000 people work as drivers – a figure suggesting that the industry has failed to attract local workers.
Chan suggested that the government should cooperate with the industry to enhance remuneration and the welfare of local minibuses drivers. “We urge the authorities to protect local workers’ employment opportunities,” Chan said.
Luk Chung-hung, a pro-establishment lawmaker and a member of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, said during the press conference that it is tough for minibus drivers to make a living and support their families.
“Passing a driving test for minibuses is difficult,” Luk said, as he suggested that day shift drivers should receive a salary of HK$18,000 per month and those on night shifts should enjoy HK$20,000 per month.
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