Hong Kong Passes Legislation Of Minimum Wage For Low-paid Workers

Hong Kong Campaign for minimum wage for workers

By ONE Liners Agency

HONK KONG NEWS – For the first time, the low-paid workers in Hong Kong will be paid a minimum wage to sustain their life in a better way. It is expected to assistance about 270,000 workers or in a way 10%x of the working population. Low-paid workers will be given a wage on hourly basis, earning a minimum of HK$28 ($3.60; £2.18).

Honk Kong’s territory wealth gap is quite thick and in the recent times public pressure was mounting on the government to narrow the gap between poor and rich. Although, the minimum wage scheme is strongly criticized by the business community, saying it would be too expensive. They say the scheme would force businessmen to cut staff. Critics also say the legislation is give away from the country’s free-market roots.

It is reported that except Singapore most Asian countries have the scheme of minimum wage for their workers.

The minimum wage scheme is expected to give a moral boosting to country’s “low-class” dwellers such as street sweepers, security guards and restaurant workers.

"The employers now cannot squeeze the lowest paid sectors of society," said Lee Cheuk-yan, head of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and a legislator.

In the recent times there were much furor about a minimum wage and Hong Kong labor union had campaign for it. Some of them are still not happy with the legislation, saying the cost of living is much higher than the minimum wage.

The legislation is only for native Honk Kong workers and does not cover the 300,000 domestic helpers who come from neighboring nations Philippines and Indonesia.