Hong Kong cleaners union asks contractor to clarify status of staff accused of falsifying work records
Hong Kong Free Press
A Hong Kong cleaners union has asked a sanitation contractor to clarify the status of four cleaners accused of faking work records after they were captured on video pasting up flyers then taking them down.
The Cleaning Workers Union said in a statement on Wednesday that Baguio Cleaning Services Company, which is contracted by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), had confirmed that the four workers involved had no intention to falsify work records but they “had not complied with the correct working procedures.”
According to the union, Baguio said that two of them would be “reassigned” while the other two were under investigation for “misconduct causing misunderstanding and disturbance to the public.”
The union said it had sought a clarification regarding whether those measures meant Baguio had reversed an earlier decision to sack the four workers.
The union’s statement came a week after a video of the workers was posted on Facebook on February 24, showing the cleaners pasting fliers on signposts in Sham Shui Po, taking photos, then taking them down.
After accusations of falsified work records surfaced, the FEHD said that it would refer the suspected falsification of records to the police. Under its guidelines, cleaners are responsible for removing unauthorised display bills and posters in public places, and must take photos to record their work.
It also said it had instructed Baguio to suspend the workers concerned from carrying out their contractual duties until the investigation was completed.
A day later, Baguio said it had sacked the four workers, according to local media.
HKFP has reached out to Baguio and the FEHD for comment.
Petition to reinstate workers
Meanwhile, the cleaners union launched a petition the following day, on February 25, calling on the cleaning company to reverse its decision and criticising the FEHD for its handling of the incident.
Firing the workers might have been a decision made under immense pressure, the union said, “but [Baguio] did not sufficiently consider the rights and feelings of the workers.”
“At the same time, the FEHD, which should have followed the established internal investigation mechanism, referred the incident to the police for follow-up on the same day before it had a clear understanding of the matter, which was even more appalling,” it said.
“Regardless of whether the complaints are justified or not, employers will always try to avoid trouble by disciplining the workers as a way to settle the dispute. As a labour group, we have often come across similar cases where even the workers dare not pursue the matter and would rather look for a new job,” the petition read.
According to the union, a lack of legal protections and a sociocultural environment often discourage workers from fighting for their rights and interests.
The petition was backed by several labour organisations, including the Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association and the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee. Artist-activist Luke Ching and the League of Social Democrats were also among those who signed the petition.
The Cleaning Workers Union also said on Wednesday: “In any case, the union will continue to follow up the so-called ‘reassignment’ arrangement and the result of the ‘investigation’ to see if the workers’ rights and interests will be jeopardised and make an announcement as appropriate.”
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