At the beginning of the Year of the Tiger, NWFB and Citybus have been complaining for days and days of "moaning poverty". Following the forecast that this month's loss will reach 60 million yuan and asking the government to provide subsidies; on Wednesday (9th), a notice was issued to employees stating that the fare income was not enough. To pay frontline staff salaries, temporary cost-saving measures are required.
"Hong Kong 01" is making enquiries to the Transport Department and the Transport and Housing Bureau to see if their operations will affect the service and whether they will provide subsidies.
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KMB also said that, hit hard by the fifth wave of the epidemic, passenger traffic plummeted by 40%, and monthly fare income was reduced by 200 million yuan, but it was willing to promise not to lay off staff or reduce wages.
In response to the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund announced by the government earlier, KMB welcomes any measures that can help safeguard the employment and livelihood of employees.
According to sources who told "Hong Kong 01", the franchised bus companies had recently met with the Transport and Housing Bureau. During the meeting, representatives of the bus companies had urged the authorities to consider restarting subsidies similar to the "employment protection" scheme, and temporarily subsidize the buses by the Hong Kong government. The company's "payment" is difficult.
Huida Transportation, the parent company of NWFB and Citybus, issued an internal letter on Wednesday signed by Chief Executive Officer Tan Limin, explaining the current operating difficulties to employees.
"Hong Kong 01" obtained relevant internal letters. The letter stated that from September to November 2021, the passenger volume of the two buses had improved, and the dawn was beginning to see the light. .
However, with the outbreak of the fifth wave of the epidemic, the recent passenger volume of the two buses has plummeted by more than 40% compared with November last year. He pointed out that after the new measures took effect, the company's financial situation deteriorated rapidly, and the decline is expected to intensify after the new round of measures takes effect.
Earlier, the general manager (operation) of the two buses, Ma Zhanwei, estimated that the loss this month will reach 60 million yuan or more, which is more than the previous monthly eclipse of 25 million yuan.
Financial Deterioration Rapidly Deteriorating NWFB City Wants the Government to Provide Subsidies
The internal letter also stated that the two buses are requesting direct government subsidies, including waivers of various fees originally payable to the government, such as government rent and tolls, until the public transport industry returns to normal.
The two buses also want the government to provide subsidies to pay the salaries of frontline workers.
The text directly pointed out that the fare income is not enough to pay the salaries of frontline employees. Currently, the two buses have a total of about 5,000 employees.
Ma Zhanwei said earlier that if the government fails to provide funding, it does not rule out the need for layoffs;
Ma Zhanwei said that the operation of NWFB and Citybus has always relied on routes such as airports, ports, and cross-sea buses, but the epidemic has been greatly affected. After the work-from-home arrangement was implemented, the passenger volume of cross-sea buses also decreased significantly.
(File photo/Photo by Zhang Haowei)
In addition, the internal letter of NWFB and Citybus pointed out that the two buses need to implement a new round of temporary cost-saving measures, including adjusting the service level of shifts according to the passenger volume, adjusting the working hours for changing jobs, taking annual leave or taking voluntary unpaid leave. As well as reducing and stopping non-essential spending and waste.
According to the information, the total cost of the two buses in 2020 is about 2.93 billion yuan, of which staff expenses are about 1.59 billion yuan and tunnel tolls are 153 million yuan.
KMB promises no layoffs, no pay cuts, or forcing employees to take unpaid leave
KMB's reply also pointed out that the fifth wave of the epidemic has brought a heavy blow, with passenger capacity plummeting by 40% and monthly ticketing revenue dropping by 200 million yuan.
However, KMB said it would promise its employees no layoffs, no pay cuts, and no forcing employees to take unpaid leave; if employees are affected by the lockdown and forced inspection and cannot work, they will still be paid.
Regarding government funding, KMB welcomes any measures that can help safeguard the employment and livelihood of employees.
KMB also pointed out that if the community believes that the "vaccine passport" is beneficial to control the epidemic, "no matter how difficult it is, KMB will cooperate and support it."
The chief executive said the sixth round of anti-epidemic funds will support the passenger transport industry
The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, announced on Tuesday (8th) the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, which will cover more than 40 measures and is estimated to involve about 26 billion yuan.
She stressed that the sixth round of funds will also support indirectly affected industries, such as passenger transportation.
Details are yet to be announced.
NWFB & Citybus groaning about the fall in passenger volume due to the epidemic; monthly eclipse expected to be 60 million yuan; warning of no subsidy or layoffs About 20 school routes of NWFB and Citybus will be suspended for two weeks