Anti-epidemic Fund ︳ Trade Unions Advocate More Recruitment for Employment and Find Cash as soon as possible to Set up Temporary Posts

Social News

Written by: Hou Cailin

2020-04-07 14:26

The COVID-19 new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic continues, and all industries in Hong Kong have been hit hard. The government will launch a second round of anti-epidemic and anti-epidemic funds. Chief Executive Lin Zheng Yuee said today (7th) that he recently met with people from different industries. The government hopes to achieve "employment protection" and will take into account industries affected by social distance. Many industries in Hong Kong, including catering, tourism, beauty and hairdressing, and massage, require the government to provide cash allowances to the unemployed.

Among them, the trade union of the catering industry said that workers are currently being paid unpaid leave and is in dire straits, suggesting that the government should pay the unemployed workers $ 14,000 per month in unemployment benefits for a period of six months. At the same time, it needs to be paid early to solve the urgent need. The tourism trade union suggested that the government increase about 10,000 temporary jobs to protect the employment of workers.

▼ Anti-epidemic and spicy recruiting more than four people gather to close many facilities ▼

+10

+9

+8

Affected by the epidemic, the government now stipulates that the restaurant occupancy rate should not exceed half, the dining room must be at least 1.5 meters apart, each table can seat 4 people, and diners and employees must wear masks. In addition, the government also stipulates that karaoke establishments, mahjong day nine entertainment venues and nightclubs or nightclubs will be closed for 14 days from the 1st of this month; and beauty salons, clubhouses and massage parlors can continue to operate, but emphasizes that "when feasible Always wear a mask. ”When entering the above three places, it is necessary to measure body temperature and provide disinfectant hand sanitizer for guests. In addition, game console centers, bathrooms, fitness centers, playgrounds, public entertainment venues, and party rooms have been closed for 14 days from last month.

Chief Executive Lin Zheng Yuee said today (7th) that the second round of the anti-epidemic fund stated that the government hopes to achieve "employment protection" and will take into account industries affected by social distance.

Catering industry: 14,000 yuan monthly unemployment benefits for six months

The latest unemployment rate in Hong Kong rose to 3.7%, of which the catering industry unemployment rate rose to 7.5%. Guo Hongxing, chairman of the Catering Industry Workers ’Union, said that the catering industry has been hit since the revision of the law last year. According to his understanding, some employees in the catering industry began to take unpaid leave from early February, just like" endless ". After the government restricted the number of guests in restaurants, Some restaurants require half of employees to take unpaid leave. He described the current situation of workers in the industry as "deeply hot." He suggested that the government should pay the unemployed workers $ 14,000 per month in unemployment benefits for a period of six months, and that they need to be paid early to solve the urgent needs of the unemployed.

Police and FEHD staff conducted a joint operation to inspect restaurants in Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. (Information picture / Photograph by Wang Yiyang)

Beauty and hairdressing industry: distribution of cash allowance of 80% of income to create temporary positions

Liu Jiale, the organization director of the Hong Kong Beauty Salon Workers' Union, said that about 300 employees had been interviewed between February and March, and most of the interviewees said that they had been paid reduced and unpaid leave. The union hopes that the government can provide cash assistance to the unemployed and underemployed workers in the amount of 80% of the monthly income, and let the employees apply on their own. At the same time, the trade union also hopes that the government will create more temporary jobs to protect employees' employment.

Massage and massage industry: extend the unemployment benefit payment period to 6 months to increase the retraining allowance

In addition, Chen Xuhua, chairman of the Hong Kong Massage Therapy Professionals Association, said that there are 30,000 to 50,000 massage therapists, masseurs and other practitioners in Hong Kong. Since the epidemic, nearly 50% of the employees have been unemployed, and some of the employees have also "scattered long-term jobs and changed monthly salary "Daily salary", working hours per week reduced to 5 to 10 hours. The business volume of beauty salons and massage parlors also fell by 70% to 80%.

The government announced earlier that unemployed people who have been unemployed for one month or more will be granted a cash allowance of up to three months. However, the government has also simplified the payment process, narrowing the beneficiaries to those who have received a job allowance, or special assistance for student subsidized households. Grant recipients. Chen Xuhua expressed the hope that the government would improve the "unemployment cash allowance", including extending the beneficiaries to all unemployed people in Hong Kong, and at the same time extending the payment period from 3 months to 6 months. He also said that he expected the government to distribute it earlier than October. Allowances to help the unemployed as soon as possible.

Chen Xuhua also pointed out that because the industry was hit hard, some practitioners also wanted to switch careers. He suggested that the government increase the daily special allowance for the "full-time" courses of the Employees Retraining Board from the current 153.8 yuan to a minimum of 200 yuan to subsidize the unemployed. Receive training.

Under the epidemic, the tourism industry was hit hard and the airport was deserted. (Profile picture / Photo by Zhang Haowei)

Tourism: subsidized unemployed, unpaid leave employees capped at 14,000 yuan

Under the epidemic, tourism is also the hardest hit by unemployment. Liang Fangyuan, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Travel Industry Trade Unions, said that about 90% of travel agencies in Hong Kong are closed, and employees are on unpaid leave or unemployed. I believe tens of thousands of people are involved. Some employees have lost their livelihoods and even have difficulty getting loans from banks. They have "no way to survive". She said that even if the epidemic in Hong Kong is alleviated and the global epidemic will affect the tourism industry, it will be difficult to recover in a short period of time. The government should provide unemployed employees with a six-month cash assistance with 80% of the employee ’s monthly income and a cap of $ 14,000 . In form, I hope to let the workers apply on their own.

At the same time, Liang Fangyuan mentioned that many front-line tour guides had difficulty in changing jobs, and hoped that the government would create about 10,000 temporary jobs to protect the employment of workers. She pointed out that she believed that the government's anti-epidemic work required manpower, and suggested that the government could consider setting up temporary service centers in each district during the epidemic and arrange for staff to provide daily life support for the home-isolated people.

New crown pneumonia │ reverse salary raises criticism Lin Zheng said according to the mechanism: Legislative Council members also adjusted their salary last year

[New Crown Pneumonia] Members of parliament participated in a 40-person bar gathering group dissatisfaction and urged the government to severely punish

[New Crown Pneumonia] Japanese city parent company: Epidemic prevention products support business without layoff plan

New Coronary Pneumonia Lung Disease Unemployment Rate Tourism Catering Industry