Singapore: Singapore-listed Hutchison Port Holdings Trust has issued a release saying that now that subcontractors have accepted a 9.8% pay rise at subsidiary Hongkong International Terminals (HIT), the terminal “is working promptly towards returning to its normal operational capacity”.
“As at last week, HIT’s operational productivity has returned to between 80 and 90 per cent of its normal level,” HPH Trust claimed.
Most of the dockers who went on strike came back to work today, although there were threats to quit by some who are employed by Everbest Port Services.
The Everbest workers fear they would be earning less despite the agreed 9.8% pay rise after the contractor said it would no longer pay them extra for meals and pulling mooring ropes.
The future of more than 100 crane operators, who lost their jobs after Global Stevedoring Service closed down, also remains unclear. Many of the operators are continuing their protest at the Cheung Kong Center, owned by Li Ka-shing, who also owns HIT. [09/05/13]
