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Written by: Commentary Editing Room
2021-02-19 06:45
Last update date: 2021-02-19 06:45
After the super typhoon "Mangkhut" struck Hong Kong in September 2018, trees collapsed everywhere, and many bus and railway routes could not provide normal services.
However, because the tropical cyclone signal was lowered, many citizens were helplessly forced to go to work, resulting in extremely chaotic road conditions in various places that day. The scene at that time is still fresh.
However, it was not until two years later that the Bureau of Labor and Welfare finally submitted a bill to the Legislative Council on Wednesday (17th), proposing to extend employee compensation protection to employees who have to commute under such "extreme conditions."
According to the current "Employees Compensation Ordinance", only accidental injuries or deaths suffered by employees within four hours before and after the effective period of severe weather signals such as Typhoon Signal No. 8 are regarded as work-related.
However, the removal of the typhoon can only represent changes in weather conditions, and does not mean that the road conditions are suitable for the citizens to continue economic activities. The citizens may still encounter danger when commuting to get off work under such "extreme conditions". Therefore, the authorities recommend that the amendment be announced in the government. Employees who commute to and from get off work after "extreme situations" can also be protected by the Ordinance.
After the super typhoon "Mangkhut" struck Hong Kong in September 2018, trees collapsed everywhere, and many bus and railway routes could not provide normal services.
(Profile picture)
Natural disasters go to work and owe protection workers to wait for two years
The traffic situation in Hong Kong was very chaotic on the day after "Mangosteen". However, the government did not have any mechanism to allow employees engaged in non-emergency business to temporarily suspend work. This is undoubtedly a testament to the lack of local labor rights. As for the government's subsequent research on how to deal with "extreme situations" Mechanism, the specific amendments to the building will have to wait two years before it can be approved by the parliament. What is more, the slow progress of its work shows that the government has no intention of protecting labor rights.
After the natural disaster, requiring a large number of employees to travel to work has already made it more difficult to clean up the road conditions, and the employees who go to work should also be protected by law in this process, allowing them to stay in a safe place before the road conditions recover... These principles clearly seem to be It is justified, but the plan was described as "overjoyed" after it was passed by the Labor and Employment Association. It is also a tragedy for Hong Kong workers.
The removal of the typhoon can only represent changes in weather conditions. It does not mean that the road conditions are suitable for the citizens to continue their economic activities. The citizens may still be in danger when commuting to and from get off work under such "extreme conditions."
(Profile picture / Luo Guohui)
Laofu is not just a case of employers talking about things?
Under the capitalist system of Hong Kong society, capital is highly concentrated in the hands of employers, and workers are often passive for their livelihood.
This makes the employment relationship extremely unequal, and the Hong Kong government, which should have been involved in it, is sitting on the sidelines. As a result, Hong Kong society has always been dominated by employers. Even the superficial issue of "whether natural disasters should go to work" can drag on for two years. It’s no wonder that the situation is even less optimistic on other issues involving both employers and employees, such as labor leave and bank false equality. After a long period of harassment, it has to be implemented slowly in batches for eight years. The standard working hours admits that the ten-year study is still implemented indefinitely. The financial "hedging" arrangement is in line with the delays of the business community. Recently, the Secretary of the Bureau of Labor and Welfare threatened to cancel it in exchange for discussing unemployment insurance.
Hong Kong’s labor welfare is difficult to achieve. In the final analysis, it is caused by the government’s leaning toward the business community and its disregard for labor demands.
The government should take responsibility for the majority of workers, and make more aggressive legislation to protect the rights and interests of workers, instead of just waiting for the employers to compromise.
When it comes to business, the business community wants to maximize its benefits, and the government cannot expect the business community to agree on everything about labor rights.
As in the recent discussion of minimum wages, the economic downturn has made the business community hope to "save a mosquito", but ignore the fact that the increase in the minimum wage has "underperformed" the labor market for a long time.
If the government makes concessions to the business community everywhere, I am afraid that Hong Kong will only be able to provide this kind of protection from natural disasters, such as working as a work-related injury.
The "hedging" arrangement for MPF has been in line with the delays of the business community. Recently, the Secretary for Labor and Welfare threatened to cancel it in exchange for discussing unemployment insurance.
(Profile picture / Photo by Liang Pengwei)
It has been two years since the "mangosteen" attack. During the period, the standard working hours and the cancellation of MPF "hedging" were nowhere to be reached. The unemployment insurance calls set off by the epidemic have even died out in Luo Zhiguang's jokes. It turns out that only going to work in "extreme situations" can be used as a protection for "overjoyed" such as work-related injuries.
To reverse this situation, the government must take the initiative and stop silently allowing the business community to do whatever it wants, otherwise the status of Hong Kong's labor will only become more humble.
Unemployment insurance and cancellation of MPF hedging have no choice
The Secretary is quite good in many prevarications
Frozen minimum wage
Typhoon Mangosteen Labor and Welfare Bureau Labor Protection 01 Views Luo Zhiguang